Tag Archives: vaccine

Boys Allowed – The HPV Vaccine is for Guys Too!

A few years back, 2006 to be exact, you might have seen those catchy, melodic commercials urging all girls to become “one less” woman affected by cervical cancer. Whoever watched these TV ads most likely became convinced that this vaccine only prevents cervical cancer and that ONLY GIRLS were allowed to have it.

Well the truth is that WAS correct…the Gardasil vaccine was not FDA approved for males until a few years later in 2009. It wasn’t until 2012 that the CDC decided to extend the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine routine vaccination recommendation to boys.Why guys you might ask–boys don’t have a cervix! Why would they need a vaccine that protects against cervical cancer?! Good question! Here are a few statistics that might help you understand the reasons:

  • 75-80% of sexually-active adults will have been infected with HPV before the age of 50.
  • 20 million U.S. residents currently have genital HPV.
  • HPV causes CANCER: Cervical, Vulvar, Vaginal, Oropharyngeal (oral), Anal, and Penile.
    • Yes, the last three on that list affect MEN too.
  •  HPV is now the leading cause of oral cancer — after smoking and sun exposure
    • Oral cancers account for 37.7% of HPV-related cancers. Cervical cancers account for only 32.7%.
    • The death rate for oral cancer is three times higher than that for cervical cancer.
  • About 40% of penile cancer cases are HPV-related, but these rates have basically remained the same.
  • HPV also causes genital warts. Gross.
    • That can affect ANYONE regardless of sex.

These stats can be pretty scary. I mean…who knew that your chances of getting HPV might be higher that the score you’re going to get on that next calculus test? The good news is most of the time your body’s immune system can fight off HPV and get rid of it all on its own. The bad news…you don’t get to choose whether or not you’ll get rid of it on your own. The solution? BOYS and GIRLS need to all get vaccinated and get it done sooner rather than later!

Photo by Cristina Sansone

Photo by Cristina Sansone

So HPV vaccine rates among women are increasing. 20.7% in 2010 to 29.5% in 2011 reported receiving at least one or more doses. More men are getting the vaccine too (1.5% in 2010 to 2.1% in 2011). BUT the amount of guys getting vaccinated doesn’t even compare to the amount of girls getting vaccinated! The fact is most guys don’t think that they need it. But now YOU know better, right?!

So GUYS and GIRLS, here’s what you can do to save your self from the evil Human Papilloma Virus:

  1. If you haven’t already asked for the HPV Vaccine, talk to your parents, your doctor, or your school nurse and tell them that you want it!
  2. The recommended age to be vaccinated is around 11 or 12, but if you’re older Not To Worry! You can still get the vaccine until you’re 26! But it is most effective to get the vaccine well before you experience any sexual encounters. So get it as early as you can just so you can get those 3 shots over and done with.
  3. Make sure you get ALL 3 doses of the HPV vaccine. Yes, there are 3 :( . You should get the 2nd dose a month after the first, and the 3rd dose 6 months after the first. Remember you can still pick up wherever you left off if you don’t follow this time line exactly, BUT try your best to follow the timeline
  4. The HPV can be pretty pricy, BUT the good news is that if you and your family have health insurance, the vaccine should be covered if you are 26 or younger. If you don’t have health insurance and you’re under 18 DON’T WORRY there is something awesome called the Vaccines For Children Program (VFC) that will provide free vaccines for children who are eligible. Just ask your mom or dad to look them up!
  5. Finally, SPREAD THE WORD! Tell all of your friends, GUYS and GIRLS to get vaccinated! Help protect them from HPV related cancers later in life.
Photo by Cristina Sansone

Photo by Cristina Sansone

P.S.
If you happened to watch that episode of HBO’s Girls where they talked about HPV, just throw everything you heard out the window. Most of their facts were just…not factual. During this episode Hannah played by Lena Dunham is diagnosed with HPV after being given an HPV test. This in reality would not be approved for women under 30 unless abnormal cells are present during a pap smear, which is not the case for Hannah. Needless to say, this is not the only statement about HPV that would lead viewers to false beliefs. Check out this article from the NY Times.

Image Source: CNN

BUT yes there is an actual HPV test… for women. There is not an FDA approved test for men yet. However, great strides are being made in this HPV DNA testing. Women should remember to get pap smears regularly (every two years) beginning either at age 21 or after having sex for the first time, whichever comes first. GUYS… remember to stay vigilant. Be aware of the symptoms.

P.P.S.
Two Quick Disclaimers– Gardasil is the only vaccine approved for both males and females and to protect against certain strains of genital warts. Cervarix is only approved for women. Also the HPV Vaccine does not protect against ALL strains of HPV so in addition to getting the vaccine. The BEST thing you can do is practice SAFE SEX!

By CRISTINA SANSONE

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Don’t Let the Grinch Steal Your Christmas!

The holiday season is upon us! Christmas decorations are up! Peppermint mochas and eggnog lattes are back at Starbucks. Christmas music has taken over the radio. The parking lot at the mall is a nightmare. And there’s a Christmas movie on TV almost every night! I just watched Elf last night! It’s only a matter of time until you watch Love Actually (You know this is true).

image source: fanpop.com

image source: fanpop.com

Not to be a Grinch, but it’s also flu season. No one ever wants to be sick, especially this time of the year! So DON’T LET THE FLU GET TO YOU! FIGHT BACK AND GET YOUR FLU SHOT ASAP! 

Imagine this: While all of your friends are celebrating the holiday together, eating delicious food, exchanging gifts, singing karaoke, and playing Monopoly Deal (best game ever), you’re stuck in bed, sick with the flu and looking at all the pictures they’ve Instagrammed. If that doesn’t convince you to get vaccinated for the flu, then here are 3 reasons from the CDC on why you should:

  1. The annual vaccine is the best way to protect yourself from the flu.
  2. New flu vaccines are released every year to keep up with the rapidly changing flu viruses, so last year’s vaccine may not protect you from this year’s viruses.
  3. People with certain medical conditions, such as children younger than 5, senior citizens, pregnant women, and people with asthma, are at a greater risk of developing flu-related complications.

This week (December 2-8) is National Influenza Vaccination Week. So if you haven’t gotten your flu vaccine yet, get it this week! Click here for more information from the CDC.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Whoop! There it is.

image source: tenthamendmentcenter.com

WHOOP! There it is…in Washington. Washingtonians are currently in the midst of a whooping cough outbreak. It’s only May and there have already been 1,100 confirmed cases. “That’s 10 times as many as this time last year, and health officials fear the number may rise,” reports NPR.

Whooping couch (also known as Pertussis) is a very serious and contagious illness caused by Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is spread by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others. One person coughs or sneezes the bacteria out and another person breathes it in (gross). So make sure to cover your nose/mouth when you sneeze/cough. And please, wash your hands!

image source: http://www.achd.net

Pertussis starts off with the typical cold symptoms: runny nose, congestion, sneezing, cough, or fever. But after 1-2 weeks, the cough gets really bad. “Pertussis can cause violent and rapid coughing, over and over, until the air is gone from the lungs and you are forced to inhale with a loud ‘whooping’ sound‘” (CDC). What does it sound like? Click here to find out. Babies may have apnea, which is “a pause in the child’s breathing pattern” (CDC). If that happens, take him or her to the hospital asap.

Though whooping couch is highly contagious, it’s also preventable and treatable. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent pertussis. Parents should also keep infants away from anyone who has cold or cough symptoms. In the United States, DTaP is the recommended pertussis vaccine for children. It’s a combo vaccine that protects kids against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. 3 for the price of 1? What a steal. Here are the vaccination recommendations from the CDC:

  1. infants and children: For max protection, a series of 5 DTap shots are given over the course of 4 to 6 years.
  2. pre-teens/teens: The protection power of the vaccine they got as kids may have decreased, so it’s recommended they get the Tdap booster vaccine.
  3. pregnant women: “By getting Tdap during pregnancy, maternal pertussis antibodies transfer to the newborn, likely providing protection against pertussis in early life, before the baby starts getting DTaP vaccines” (CDC).
  4. adults: If they didn’t get the Tdap vaccine as preteens or teens, then they should get one dose of Tdap.

That list pretty much covers everyone. According to the CDC, about 1 in 5 infants with pertussis get pneumonia. The CDC explains that “many infants who get pertussis are infected by parents, older siblings, or other caregivers who might not even know they have the disease.” So protect your loved ones and yourself and make sure your vaccinations are up-to-date.

Though pertussis vaccines are very effective, they aren’t 100% full proof. If the pertussis bacteria is making its way through the community, there’s still a chance that a vaccinated person can catch the disease. If you or a child develops a cold or severe cough that just doesn’t go away, get checked by your doctor asap. Pertussis is generally treated with antibiotics. It’s important to get treated early on before the whooping starts.

WHOOP! There it is…the 411 on WHOOPing cough.

image source: canitbesaturdaynow.com

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

School Spirit

image source: washingtonindependent.com

No one likes needles. Getting your shots done not only relieves your anxiety of receiving them, but it is also unbelievably important to YOU and the rest of the human population. For those seniors getting ready to pack up their bags for college, or for those grads setting off for graduate school soon, there is one key vaccination you need: the meningococcal vaccine.

Meningococcal disease is caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitides (CDC). The infection affects what covers your spinal cord and brain, or your meninges. Meninx, which is singular for meninges, is a membrane that covers and protects a person’s nervous system. As much as 2,500 people get infected each year in the United States, and 300 of those people die from it (New York Dept. of Health).

Once these bacteria cause illness, the warning signs to watch out for within a few days are: feeling confused, feeling nauseous, vomiting (that’s never pleasant), and becoming really sensitive to light (CDC). This may sound like your common hangover, but meningococcal meningitis, one of the infections caused by meningococcal disease, can actually cause permanent hearing loss, brain damage or death within a few hours! Definitely more serious!

The most common people to be infected by the bacteria: youngsters living in dorms. In fact, 100-125 meningococcal disease incidences a year are from college students living in residence halls. Out of those incidences, 5-15 young adults will die (ACHA). Know why? It’s because people living in such closed quarters are just more likely to spread their spit and germs with one another.

Once someone is infected, the bacteria will infect their mucosal lining, bloodstream, and then vital organs. The way people spread the bacteria can be by direct contact (kissing or sharing drinks, anyone?) or simply through the air (like sneezing and coughing).

So if you plan on doing a lot of making out in college, this vaccine might just be a good idea for you and anyone else you’re going to school or living with. Other people who need the shot:

  • people being recruited into the military
  • people without a spleen
  • microbiologists exposed to the bacteria
  • people who are traveling to other countries where meningitis is common
  • people with compromised immune systems

image source: blogspot.com

Let’s say you got the vaccine when you were younger. Think you’re safe? NOPE. MCV4, the meningococcal vaccine, only protects you for up to 5 years. If the last time you got MCV4 is close to that, you definitely need a booster shot, preferably when you’re between ages 16-18. When you do get a booster shot, it will boost your immune system and will make sure the first vaccination you get works.  That way, you will be protected from meningococcal disease!

Now don’t let your college experience become a nightmare waiting to happen.  Get vaccinated!

By ARIELLE COLON

Oh Schmidt

If you watch New Girl, then you’re probably familiar with Schmidt. Nine out of ten times, he’s pretty much what you see in that video. But in episode 15 (Injured), Schmidt said something…profound. For once, he wasn’t JAR’d.

“Treat your body like a temple. Treat your body like a temple” – Schmidt.

Here’s how:

1. Eat healthy. This does not mean going on a Whole Foods (whole-lotta-money) diet. Click here for some tips from My Plate on how to stretch those food dollars. Make sure to include grains, veggies, and fruits into your everyday meals. Beware of Suga Suga Suga and Step Away from the Big Mac. And can we get some Waters All Around, Please? Thanks. Eat healthy and you may have what it takes to be America’s Next Fruit Ninja!

2. Be active. The CDC recommends 1 hour of physical activity every day for children & adolescents and 150 minutes of moderate-intense aerobic activity each week for adults. Keep your Head in the Game and play sports! Hear music and Just Dance!

3. Wash your hands. None of us know where those Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all have been. Plus, Clean Hands Save Lives.

4. Don’t smoke. Duh! So, want to go to college? Then you better quit smoking! Click here for tips from former smokers.

5. Stay positive. Stress Stinks! Don’t let your Horrible Bosses get the best of you. And don’t forget about those new years resolutions you made not too long ago. We Like Number 16 of Thought Catalog’s 20 New Year’s Resolutions for 20-Somethings.

6. Get sleep. The CDC recommends 7-9 hours of sleep. Rock-a-bye-baby!

7. Get check-ups. Make sure you’re up-to-date with all of your vaccines and tests. Sexy and I Know It? Yea, that’s great. But did you know that healthy is the new sexy? So if you get sick or feel pain, make an appointment with your doctor. Don’t go playing doctor and diagnosing yourself using WebMD. It’s Trichy Trichy Trichy.

For more info, check out CDC’s Tips for a Safe and Healthy Life.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Shoo Flu, Don’t Bother Me!

If you have…

  • Fever or feeling feverish/chills
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue (very tired)
  • Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

Then you probably got the flu!

According to experts, the flu usually spreads by droplets, which are made when people with the flu cough, sneeze, or talk. Droplets can enter the mouths or noses of other people. Cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. No tissue? Then cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve or elbow. Never your hands! And make sure to wash your hands!  The CDC states that a person who seems healthy can infect others “1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick.” So it’s a good idea to get a flu shot ASAP. Both CVS and Walgreens offer flu shots.

It totally sucks to be sick. Please, do yourself and everyone around you a favor, STAY HOME AND GET BETTER!

And if you’re sick and stuck in bed, check out stumbleupon, pinterest, and sporcle!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS