LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Eliseo Ceja,

LAREDO, Texas – For more than two centuries, vaccines have helped keep people healthy—from the first vaccine developed to protect against smallpox to the newest vaccines used to prevent severe cases of COVID-19.

Since then, families and communities have entrusted vaccines to protect their loved ones. The value of vaccines is measured by more than the number of doses given; vaccines provide everyone a chance at a fulfilling life. Each April, World Immunization Week brings together people worldwide to highlight the importance of vaccines and how they protect people of all ages against many diseases, allowing us to pursue a life well-lived.

For more information about the Healthy Living/Viviendo Mejor program, as well as other sites for classes, please contact Fabiola Guerra, Project Coordinator at the City of Laredo Health Department at (956) 721-4994.

The Laredo Health Department’s goal is to provide vaccine availability to all eligible individuals. Today we are fortunate to give vaccines following the Texas Vaccine for Children & Adult SafetyNet list of vaccines. The list of vaccines is as follows:

DTaP: Helps prevent Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

HiB: Prevents Haemophilus influenza type B disease that causes ear infections or bronchitis, or it can cause more severe illness, such as bloodstream infections.

Hepatitis B: Prevents a type of liver disease that causes fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine); Chronic Hepatitis B infection can lead to liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and death.

Polio: prevents serious illness such as weakness and paralysis (when a person can’t move parts of the body), leading to permanent disability and, in rare cases, death.
PCV13: Helps prevent Pneumococcal disease caused by pneumococcal bacteria.

Hepatitis A: Prevents a type of liver disease

Tdap: Helps prevent Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis, the same diseases mentioned for DTaP.

Meningococcal ACWY: protects against meningococcal disease caused by serogroups A, C, W, and Y. Disease can cause meningitis.

HPV: Prevent Human Papillomavirus, which causes certain types of cancers, including Cervical, Vaginal, and Vulvar cancers in women. Penile cancer in men, and Anal cancers in both men and women.

Meningococcal B: helps protect against meningococcal disease caused by serogroups B. Disease can cause meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord) and infections of the blood. Those who do will suffer disabilities such as hearing loss, brain damage, kidney damage, loss of limbs, nervous system problems, or severe scars from skin grafts.

MMR: Vaccine can prevent Measles, Mumps, and Rubella

Varicella: Vaccine can prevent chickenpox

Pneumococcal Polysaccharide: Protects against 23 types of bacteria that cause pneumococcal disease.

Flu vaccine: Helps reduce the risk of serious illness from the flu virus

COVID-19 vaccine: Helps reduce the risk of serious illness from SARS-CoV-2