Vaccine Question
Comments (7)
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
chicikens and vaccinations
Comments (11)I am with you both....... I have never vaccinated chickens, ducks, turkeys, pheasant..and I have them all......and they all free range in the same acreage.... I do however, vaccinate my goats, sheep , cow and horse selectively based on the fact that they never leave the farm so can only be exposed to things brought in by other animals or insects....but it seems that last year, at first sign of below freezing temps, I lost a chicken every two weeks or so from some respiratory looking thing..... I studied up on what I could do for treatment and this year, I have had good luck knocking it out of the two that appeared to have it so far....but I have still lost three with no appearance of illness, just found dead in the morning in the coop.......no sign of predator or injury.....just dead..... I try with all my might to keep all my pets as natural as possible...... everyone gets to free range... every one has somewhere to be closed up at night away from predators.... everyone gets natural probiotics and wormers, except once a year and I do my own fecal floats and only treat if there is an infestation...... so I understand not having any input and I understand wanting to keep it all natural, but with 80+ chickens that I love like kids, I want them to have whatever will keep them healthy and happy.... so anyone else have any real input? Please...See MoreA question about the Chickenpox Vaccine...
Comments (5)Jill, Here is some good info. I found on it. After reading it, and seeing that it can help prevent Shingles too, I would definitely recommend it. I not only had Chicken Pox as a young child, but then later in life had Shingles. It was painful. Here is a link that might be useful: Chicken Pox Vaccine Information...See MoreShingles vaccine question
Comments (16)Marygailv, I suppose it's possible that it varies by state, but the pharmacists I spoke to in PA said no prescription is necessary. My insurance company doesn't care who administers the shot; they'll charge me $45 no matter what. Here's the article I wrote, for anyone who's interested. A lot of it concerns availability at our local pharmacies, though. Shingles Vaccine Available Locally One thing most of us know about shingles is that we don't want to get it. Shingles--an infection caused by the same virus (varicella zoster) that gives us chicken pox--is painful. It's easy to understand why, as the virus attacks nerves directly. After a case of chicken pox, the virus remains in nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain. Many years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles. Everyone who has had chicken pox--and 90 percent of Americans over the age of 15 are in this category--are at risk for getting shingles later in life. This risk is increased in those whose immune systems are weakened by advancing age, extreme stress, diseases such as cancer, or medications like chemotherapy and steroids. Early symptoms of shingles include pain and tingling or itching, usually located on one side of the body or face. Blisters, sometimes covering a large area, appear 1 to 14 days after the onset of the early symptoms.The rash and pain from shingles usually lasts about a month. But for some, the pain lingers on. People with postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the most common complication of shingles, can have pain that hangs on for months, sometimes years, after the shingles rash has healed. Possible prevention There is no cure for shingles, but antiviral medicines can reduce the severity and duration of an attack. These include acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famcyclovir. With all of them, the earlier in the illness they are started, the more effective they will be. But prevention is also possible for some: People over the age of 50 can reduce their chances of getting shingles by getting Zostavax, the shingles vaccine. The vaccine is said to cut one's risk of shingles in half. It also cut the risk of PHN by two-thirds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone in the approved group get a single dose of Zostavax, even if they already had shingles. Hard to find The shingles vaccine was originally approved for people aged 60 and over, but in March 2011 the approved age was lowered to 50. Two issues have kept the vaccine from becoming as widely used as the medical community anticipated when it was first approved in 2006: availability and cost. Zostavax can be hard to find. For one thing, it is frozen and must be kept frozen until it is administered. Some pharmacies aren't equipped to keep it at the required 5 degrees F. For another, pharmacies have reported difficulty in obtaining supplies of the vaccine from its manufacturer, Merck. We spoke with pharmacist Bob McGowan at the K-Mart Pharmacy, who told us the Zostavax vaccine is always hard to obtain. He orders it, but can never be certain when it will arrive. His pharmacy is out of the vaccine right now, but hopes to get it soon. When they do have it, they are able to administer the shot to customers in the store. Wal-Mart doesn't carry the vaccine in their pharmacy, but pharmacist Mike Harris told us they're strongly considering it. He has a personal interest in shingles prevention, as a member of his extended family lost the sight in one eye after contracting the disease. Stephens Pharmacy carries the shingles vaccine, but doesn't administer it. That will change soon, according to pharmacist Wayne Stephens, who said they're working on becoming certified to give the shots. Stephens' biggest concern regarding the shingles vaccine is its availability. He explained that Merck supplies it irregularly. Pharmacies have been likely to receive more in the winter than during the other seasons. Wayne Stephens said his store has a waiting list of 50 people hoping to get the shingles vaccine; this is the third waiting list Stephens Pharmacy has had this year. Rite-Aid carries the vaccine and administers it. At this writing, they have it in stock. Pharmacist Mike Vaccaro of the Vaccaro Pharmacy tries to keep the vaccine in stock, and also administers it. His pharmacy presently has some, but he said availability has been an issue for the past 18 months or so. He reports an approximate three-month lag between ordering Zotavax and receiving it. His pharmacy keeps a waiting list when necessary. Cost The cost of Zostavax is a factor, too. Locally, the average price for the shot can run over $200. Insurance plans vary as to how much of this, if any, they will cover. Medicare recipients should check with their prescription Part D insurer to find out what their plan will pay. For those over 50, the shingles vaccine seems like an option worth considering....See MoreDoctor says to wait
Comments (70)I hear it all the time in online Lyme disease communities. I usually stay away from these groups for the most part for a couple of reasons, but I've been visiting lately because so many Lyme sufferers are on the fence about getting vaccinated. Members often post about this, asking if others got the shots and how well they did. I'm happy to reassure them that I got the shots and did very well. But some people respond that they're not getting the shots because their doctors told them not to. Some cite the reason as an inability to predict long-term consequences. But as Joan pointed out above, we know some of the long-term consequences of Covid, and none of us would want those. It's hard to know if these people are telling the truth because Covid has brought the anti-vaxxers out in full force. And boy, are they LOUD! I get the impression they'll say anything to stop people from getting vaccinated. One said I was a liar for claiming I was fine after the shots....See More
8 years ago
PRO8 years agolast modified: 8 years ago
"Hepatitis B vaccination General information Adults who seek protection from hepatitis B virus infection may receive a 3-dose series of single-antigen hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) (Engerix-B, Recombivax HB) at 0, 1, and 6 months. Adults may also receive a combined hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine (HepA-HepB) (Twinrix) at 0, 1, and 6 months. Acknowledgment of a specific risk factor by those who seek protection is not needed.
Special populations
Adults at risk for hepatitis B virus infection by sexual exposure should receive a HepB series, including sex partners of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive persons, sexually active persons who are not in a mutually monogamous relationship, persons seeking evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted infection, and men who have sex with men (MSM).
Adults at risk for hepatitis B virus infection by percutaneous or mucosal exposure to blood should receive a HepB series, including adults who are recent or current users of injection drugs, household contacts of HBsAg- positive persons, residents and staff of facilities for developmentally disabled persons, incarcerated, healthcare and public safety workers at risk for exposure to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids, younger than age 60 years with diabetes mellitus, and age 60 years or older with diabetes mellitus at the discretion of the treating clinician.
Adults with chronic liver disease including, but not limited to, hepatitis C virus infection, cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, and an alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level greater than twice the upper limit of normal should receive a HepB series.
Adults with end-stage renal disease including those on pre-dialysis care, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and home dialysis should receive a HepB series. Adults on hemodialysis should receive a 3-dose series of 40 μg Recombivax HB at 0, 1, and 6 months or a 4-dose series of 40 μg Engerix-B at 0, 1, 2, and 6 months.
Adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection should receive a HepB series.
Pregnant women who are at risk for hepatitis B virus infection during pregnancy, e.g., having more than one sex partner during the previous six months, been evaluated or treated for a sexually transmitted infection, recent or current injection drug use, or had an HBsAg-positive sex partner, should receive a HepB series.
International travelers to regions with high or intermediate levels of endemic hepatitis B virus infection should receive a HepB series.
Adults in the following settings are assumed to be at risk for hepatitis B virus infection and should receive a HepB series: sexually transmitted disease treatment facilities, HIV testing and treatment facilities, facilities providing drug-abuse treatment and prevention services, healthcare settings targeting services to persons who inject drugs, correctional facilities, healthcare settings targeting services to MSM, hemodialysis facilities and end-stage renal disease programs, and institutions and nonresidential day care facilities for developmentally disabled persons."
Annegriet thanked mdln
sleeperblues