PA Health & Wellness

In 2020, COVID-19 changed our lives and how we view vaccines. Today, more Americans have received their initial vaccines and are following up with regularly scheduled booster shots than ever before. But COVID vaccines arent the only type you should be considering this fall. Flu VaccinesEvery year, more than 10% of Americans catch the flu. Each flu season is different, and each flu strain can affect people differently. Thats why its important to get the vaccine each year to protect yourself and loved ones from illness. The flu vaccine has been shown to have many benefits including reduced risk of illness, hospitalization, and even flu-related death. In 2019-2020 alone,  the flu vaccine prevented an estimated 7.5 million flu illnesses and an estimated 105,000 flu-related hospitalizations.Pneumonia ShotsSeniors should also consider receiving a Pneumonia shot. In the US, more than 250,000 individuals are hospitalized annually for pneumonia, and approximately 50,000 of those hospitalizations result in death. Adults aged 65 years or older are at a higher risk of catching bacterial pneumonia, as well as people with certain conditions including diabetes and chronic heart diseases. Pneumonia vaccines are shown to be highly effective at protecting against and reducing symptoms of the disease.ShinglesAnother vaccination that may go overlooked by seniors is the Shingles vaccine.  Shingles is a painful rash caused by the same virus that may have affected people as a child--the chicken pox. The CDC recommends that adults aged 50 and older receive two doses of the vaccine to prevent occurrence of the disease.  In fact, the vaccines have been shown to be up to 97% effective in adults aged 50 to 69 and 91% effective in seniors over 70.Vaccinations help protect us from harmful diseases while lessening the impact of symptoms.  They also aid in recovery time.  Depending upon your insurance coverage they may even be low cost or no-cost to you.  With many pharmacies and grocery stores offering them regularly theyre easy to get. So, whats holding you back?  Talk to your pharmacist or other healthcare professional today about getting vaccinated. Editors Note: This article was written by Jay Pagni. Jay is the Vice President of Legislative and Government Affairs with PA Health & Wellness

Nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure, but only 1 in 4 adults have their condition under control. Your race and biological sex can play a role with your blood pressure control.* Did you know? In Pennsylvania, Hypertension impacts about 20-40% of adult residents.A few facts about Blood Pressure Control: Men tend to have higher or uncontrolled blood pressure* High blood pressure is more common in non-Hispanic black adults than in Hispanic, non-Hispanic white or Asian adults.* Blood pressure control is highest among non-Hispanic white adults than in non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic, Asian, or Hispanic adults.*Some people use folk medicine to help improve their health. However, in folk medicine traditions, references to High Blood and Low Blood are NOT the same thing as High Blood Pressure. In folk medicine, High Blood conditions are treated with eating lots of salt.  This is just the  opposite of what should be done to treat High Blood Pressure. Have an honest discussion so that your doctor can develop a plan that works best for you and your beliefs. Be sure to tell your doctor about any herbs and supplements you use. Add these to your medication list. Editors note: this article was submitted by Dr. Carla Huitt. Dr. Huitt is a Medical Director with PA Health & Wellness and may be reached at Carla.Huitt@PAHealthWellness.com. *Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  Hypertension Cascade: Hypertension Prevalence, Treatment and Control Estimates Among U.S. Adults Aged 18 Years and Older Applying the Criteria from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Associations 2017 Hypertension GuidelineNHANES 20152018. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2021. Accessed March 12, 2021.