Fond Du Lac Times

Healthcare professionals at Watertown Regional Medical Center are encouraging community members to stay current on recommended vaccinations during National Immunization Awareness Month this August. They emphasize that vaccines play a critical role in both individual and public health.

According to the medical center, immunizations not only protect those who receive them but also help prevent the spread of diseases within families, workplaces, schools, and communities. Vulnerable populations such as infants, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems benefit from higher vaccination rates among the general population.

The risks of forgoing vaccinations include illness and potential transmission to others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 50,000 adults die each year in the United States from diseases that could have been prevented by vaccines even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watertown Regional Medical Center states its commitment to patient health and encourages regular wellness visits. "Our purpose at Watertown Regional Medical Center is to ensure your health and well-being. And we love seeing you as our patient. That said, we’d much rather see you for wellness checkups and regular vaccinations than being wheeled into the emergency room severely weakened by COVID-19 or the flu."

The medical center recommends checking with primary care physicians to confirm that all necessary immunizations are up to date. They also advise finding a healthcare provider if one does not already have a primary care physician.

"Do it for yourself, and the broader 'team' around you," they add.