Quiz – Your Best Shot At Preventing Disease

The school supply sales can start as early as July now, getting parents into school checklist mode before the dog days of August even arrive. Part of that list includes up-to-date immunizations.  Even if you have your kids all set, what about yourself? Take our quiz to learn when you might be due for a shot, too:

1. Children around the ages of 11-12 years old should get the ___.

A. Tdap – a booster of DTaP which protects against diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw), and pertussis (whooping cough)
B. MenACWY  -  a vaccine to protect against meningococcal disease
C. HPV -  for human papillomavirus, which is linked to cervical cancer and other cancers
D. All of the above

2. Other than a flu shot, adults don’t need immunizations.

A. True
B. False

3. Two pneumococcal vaccines are recommended for everyone over age ___.

A. 2
B. 11-12
C. 16-18
D. 65

4. If you are traveling to Central and South America, Africa, or Eastern Europe, you should get the ____ vaccine.

A. Hepatitis A
B. Hepatitis B
C. Varicella
D. DTaP

5. Most people who are 6 months or older should receive the influenza vaccine, or flu shot.

A. True
B. False

Answers:

1. D. All of the above.

2. B. False.  Adults need to check with their doctor to make sure they are up to date on certain vaccinations whose necessity is determined by factors such as age, work, travel, health conditions, or past immunizations.

3. D. 65. Pneumococcal disease can cause pneumonia, meningitis, or severe infection of the bloodstream.

4. A. Hepatitis A. This condition is fairly common in these areas. Before going to any foreign country, check with your doctor about recommended vaccines for those places.

5. A. True.  With some exceptions, an annual flu shot is recommended for most people. It is best to get it before flu season starts if possible.

Source: The Health Library. You can also find and print a recommended immunization schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov.