The "Parent's: Do Your Duty And Have Your Children Immunized!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my wife about getting our flu shots for the upcoming influenza season.  We have been traveling to our local CVS Drugstore for the past dozen or more years to get our "old peoples" double dose that they offer to us free of charge.  We usually get our shot before our fall trip to the Caribbean, but being that we are not going anywhere, anytime soon due to COVID-19, we thought we still should visit the drugstore and get our shots.  And, for those of you who have children who may be getting ready to head back to school soon, you must also ensure that your children have been immunized and are up to date with their childhood shots.  Vaccinations are needed to protect infants, children and teens from serious childhood diseases such as measles, mumps and chickenpox.  Staying up to date with immunizations provides the best protection agains disease and is essential to individual health.  Everyone is so concerned about contracting COVID-19 for the past few months, but that is no excuse for forgetting to have children immunized against childhood diseases.  In my morning newspaper on the "Opinion" page was a half page article with the headline of "Vaccinate your kids, please."  The article was geared toward parents telling them that they know they have a lot on their plates right now with the COVID-19, deciding if they should send them back to school and how to do so.  But, they must also have their yearly immunizations and this is traditionally the time of year to do so.  Even if you plan to keep your child at home for virtual classes, your children still need to be immunized.  The last thing you want is for them to become infected with a preventable disease as you try to keep them safe from an unpreventable, as of now, disease.  Wouldn't it be awful for your child to have measles and also come into contact with someone who has the virus and catch that also?  According to a news release from my state of Pennsylvania, a temporary suspension of children's immunizations was enacted.  But, what would happen if your child gets measles during that grace period?  You would never forgive yourself if that child happens to have life-long problems due to the measles.  The newspaper also states that it would be nice to have a county public health department that would encourage vaccination as a public health imperative.  But, we don't have that here in Lancaster County.  Maybe the Lancaster Newspaper can influence such an imperative!  In the meantime, the CDC urges all of us, just not children, to get this year's flu vaccination.  The shot can ve vital in ensuring that there are hospital beds available and other health care resources available for COVID-19 patients.  We haven't lost control of our lives as many may think, but if you don't get your flu shot and get your children immunized, you may find it so much harder to gain control of your life once again.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.