National Immunization Awareness Month is an annual observance held every August to highlight the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.
Our goal at Community Health Connections related to immunizations and vaccinations is to:
- Raise awareness about how vaccines prevent serious, life-threatening diseases.
- Encourage dialogue between patients and CHC healthcare providers.
- Encourage routine appointments for missed well-child visits and adult immunizations ahead of the school and flu seasons with CHC providers.
- Promote CHC’s new Walk-in Vaccine clinic for all patients, all ages at both of our Gardner locations.
As a Primary Care Provider and Associate Medical Director at Community Health Connections (CHC) it's my responsibilty to take a clear, honest look at something that has protected millions of people from serious illness: vaccines.
Patients naturally bring different questions, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences to our conversations about immunizations and vaccines, and I welcome those questions.
In recent years, I have also heard more misinformation about vaccines, which makes trusted, evidence-based guidance especially important. Where you get your information matters. Social media can be entertaining and informative, but TikTok videos, Facebook posts, and online comments are not a substitute for medical research or advice from a qualified health professional. A personal story or viral video may sound convincing, but it is not the same as scientific evidence.
I encourage patients to ask questions during appointments or send a non-urgent message through MyChart to your CHC provider. If you research vaccines online, use trusted, evidence-based sources such as:
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) / HealthyChildren.org: Offers evidence-based parenting advice and childhood immunization guidance.
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Vaccine Education Center: Provides scientifically rigorous, accessible facts regarding vaccine ingredients, safety, and individual diseases.
- National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID): Promotes public and professional education centered on the prevention of infectious diseases.
How do vaccines work? Here is a simple way to think about it:
Your immune system helps identify and respond to germs that can make you sick. When a new germ enters your body, it can take time for your immune system to recognize it and build a response.
- The challenge: During that time, you may become sick.
- The protection: A vaccine introduces a harmless or inactive piece of a germ, called an antigen, so your immune system can learn to recognize it.
- The result: Your body practices responding and creates antibodies. If the real germ enters your body later, your immune system is better prepared to respond quickly.
The core takeaway is that a vaccine teaches your body how to respond to dangerous germs before you encounter the real illness. Think of it like a security guard reviewing a photo before a person arrives; once the guard knows what to look for, they can respond more quickly.
I often remind parents that vaccination does more than protect one person. It also helps protect children, families, and neighbors throughout the community.
Please reach out to your CHC provider anytime with questions. You can send a non-urgent message through your MyChart account or you can call 978-878-8100, during business hours.
Vaccines save lives, and we're here to help take great care of you and your family.
CHC has now made it even easier to get those needed vaccines, by offering walk-in, no appointment needed vaccine clinics. See below:
