Immunization

Richland County Health Office

offers a number of immunizations. Billing is available for major insurance companies such as (Blue Cross / Blue Shield, Cigna, Health Alliance, HealthLink, etc.), Medicaid, and Medicare. RCHO will assist individuals to complete immunization history forms for school or work. The Rabies vaccine is available for qualified situations and individuals.

Adult and children vaccines that are available:

  • Most Common

    Chickenpox (Varicella) Meningitis (Menactra, Menomune) HPV (Gardasil)
    Hepatitis A MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) Pneumonia (Pneumovax, Prevnar)
    Hepatitis B Shingles  

  • Infant / Child vaccines:

    DTaP Pediarix (DTaP, Polio, Hep B) Pedvax (Hib)
    Prevnar (Pneumonia) Rotateq (Rotavirus) MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
    Chickenpox (Varicella) Meningitis (Menactra) HPV (Gardasil)
    Hep A & B    

Basics about Vaccines

Why Immunize

Why immunize our children? Sometimes we are confused by the messages in the media. First we are assured that, thanks to vaccines, some diseases are almost gone from the U.S. But we are also warned to immunize our children, ourselves as adults, and the elderly.

Diseases are becoming rare due to vaccinations

It’s true, some diseases (like polio and diphtheria) are becoming very rare in the U.S. Of course, they are becoming rare largely because we have been vaccinating against them. But it is still reasonable to ask whether it’s really worthwhile to keep vaccinating.

It’s much like bailing out a boat with a slow leak. When we started bailing, the boat was filled with water. But we have been bailing fast and hard, and now it is almost dry. We could say, “Good. The boat is dry now, so we can throw away the bucket and relax.” But the leak hasn’t stopped. Before long we’d notice a little water seeping in, and soon it might be back up to the same level as when we started.

Keep immunizing until disease is eliminated

Unless we can “stop the leak” (eliminate the disease), it is important to keep immunizing. Even if there are only a few cases of disease today, if we take away the protection given by vaccination, more and more people will become infected and will spread disease to others. Soon we will undo the progress we have made over the years.

We vaccinate to protect our future

Unless we can “stop the leak” (eliminate the disease), it is important to keep immunizing. Even if there are only a few cases of disease today, if we take away the protection given by vaccination, more and more people will become infected and will spread disease to others. Soon we will undo the progress we have made over the years.

How Vaccines Prevent Diseases

The diseases that vaccines prevent can be dangerous, or even deadly. Vaccines reduce the risk of infection by working with the body’s natural defenses to help it safely develop immunity to disease.

When germs, such as bacteria or viruses, invade the body, they attack and multiply. This invasion is called an infection, and the infection is what causes illness. The immune system then has to fight the infection. Once it fights off the infection, the body is left with a supply of cells that help recognize and fight that disease in the future.

Vaccines help develop immunity by imitating an infection, but this “imitation” infection does not cause illness. It does, however, cause the immune system to develop the same response as it does to a real infection so the body can recognize and fight the vaccine-preventable disease in the future. Sometimes, after getting a vaccine, the imitation infection can cause minor symptoms, such as fever. Such minor symptoms are normal and should be expected as the body builds immunity.

“Immunizations.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. N.p., 22 May 2015. Web. 26 May 2015.