Vaccines Specialist
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EC Primary Care Physicians
Board Certified Primary Care Practitioners & Board Certified Pediatrician located in Columbia, MD
Vaccines allow the population to avoid or minimize serious diseases like polio, tetanus, and meningitis. At EC Primary Care Physicians, PA, in Columbia, Maryland, Nadeem Hashmi, MD, and the team provide on-schedule vaccines to infants, children, and adults. To determine which vaccines you or your child needs, call EC Primary Care Physicians, PA, or book a visit online today.
Vaccines Q & A
What are vaccines?
A vaccine is an injectable preventive medication that teaches your immune system to recognize a given disease and stop you from getting sick if it enters your system. Surprisingly, vaccines contain the exact disease that they work against: An inactive or weak form of the virus or bacteria allows your immune system to produce antibodies against active forms of the disease.
Vaccines are different from other medications in that they don’t treat symptoms or cure a disease. Instead, they prevent the disease. That is why experts encourage parents to get vaccines for their babies and small children. Babies and small children do not yet have fully developed immune systems so that vaccines can make a big difference for their health.
The safety of each vaccine available to the public is of great importance to researchers and providers alike. Each vaccine goes through extensive testing with the FDA before becoming available to the public.
When enough people get a vaccine, herd immunity occurs. This means that a disease is unlikely to spread and that other members of the population without vaccination are also protected.
Which vaccines does my child need?
If you’re a new parent, Dr. Hashmi can help you navigate the extensive list of vaccines your child needs from birth until they turn 18. Some vaccines require one dose, while others require two or more rounds that take place across the span of several months or years.
At EC Primary Care Physicians, PA, your infant or child can get vaccines for the following diseases:
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Polio
- Rotavirus
- Measles, mumps, and rubella
- Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis
- Varicella
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Meningitis
At EC Primary Care Physicians, PA, Dr. Hashmi can help you schedule these vaccines for your child and additional doses at the correct intervals. In addition to those listed, you should get the annual flu shot for your child each year during the early fall months.
Which vaccines can I get as an adult?
Many of the vaccines you got during childhood require updates as an adult. If you didn’t get vaccines as a child, you can still get some of them as an adult to protect yourself. Dr. Hashmi can help you navigate your vaccine schedule to make sure yours are all up to date.
Just like children, adults should get the yearly flu shot during early autumn. Each year, a different strain or group of strains of the influenza virus becomes active. That’s why the flu vaccine is a bit different each year.
To schedule your appointment for vaccines or vaccine updates, call EC Primary Care Physicians, PA, or book online today.
