• Greenhaven
  • West Sacramento

Immunizations

River Bend Medical Associates can provide you and your family with routine vaccines, seasonal immunizations, and travel vaccines. 

Vaccines play an essential role in preventive care. Keeping current on your immunizations is the best way to protect yourself and your family from certain diseases. Vaccines help your immune system fight off illnesses caused by bacteria or viruses to prevent you from becoming ill.

At River Bend Medical Associates, we provide all the preventive services you need to help your whole family stay healthy including immunizations for infants, children, and adults of all ages.

influenza vaccine

Why Vaccines are Important

Vaccines have significantly reduced diseases that once commonly harmed or killed infants, kids, and adults. However, people all over the world, including the U.S., still suffer from serious illnesses or even die from diseases that immunization could prevent.

Vaccines can protect you and your family from catching several serious diseases and prevent you from getting sick. They also play a vital role in community health, as vaccines are the key to preventing disease among the general population.

Immunizations benefit the people who get them and the defenseless, unvaccinated people around them because the contagion can no longer spread. 

Vaccinations also reduce the number of deaths and disability from infections, such as whooping cough and chicken pox. According to the CDC –Center for Disease Control, each year 4 million deaths are prevented worldwide by childhood vaccination against preventable diseases.

Vaccines are Safe

Vaccines have saved lives for over 100 years, but serious disease is still a threat – CDC. Vaccines are safe. Extensive lab testing and clinical studies are done on new vaccines before they are licensed and available to the public. Even after a vaccine is released, the CDC, FDA (Federal Food & Drug Administration), NIH (National Institutes of Health), and other government agencies continue to monitor and investigate any safety concerns.

Different vaccines work in various ways, but all vaccines help your body’s immune system learn how to fight germs. It usually takes a few weeks for protection to develop after immunization, but that protection can last a lifetime.

Vaccines can produce side effects, but most people experience only mild side effects, or none, after receiving a vaccine. The most common side effects are fatigue, fever, body aches, or swelling, redness, and tenderness at the injection site. These mild side effects usually go away on their own within a few days. Serious or long-term side effects are extremely rare, and vaccine safety is continually monitored. 

Our family medical practice follows the CDC (Center for Disease Control) immunization schedule recommendations to ensure you and your family receive the appropriate vaccines throughout your lifetime. If your questions or concerns about vaccines are not answered here, please feel free to discuss with one of our physicians or a member of our healthcare team.

Immunization is important at all ages but is absolutely essential for people at higher risk, older adults such as older adults, babies, and young children. 

Staying current with your vaccinations is important for all ages, but it is vital for older adults who are at a higher risk for developing serious and life-threatening complications from illnesses like the flu.

Travel Vaccinations

Traveling internationally increases your chances of catching and spreading diseases that are rare or not found in the United States. Find out which medications or travel vaccines you may need to help you stay healthy on your trip.

In addition to any required travel vaccinations you may need, before you travel abroad, it’s important to catch up on any routine vaccinations you may have missed. Routine vaccinations protect you from infectious diseases such as measles which can spread quickly in groups of unvaccinated people. Numerous diseases prevented by routine vaccines may not be common in the U.S. but are still common in other countries.

It is a good idea to make an appointment with your family doctor for a travel medicine consult at least six weeks to a month before your trip to help you prepare for possible health consequences of travel to specific parts of the world where health risks are different from those you may encounter when traveling within the continental United States. Your family doctor can help you with destination-specific vaccines, medications, and information.  

The vaccinations and medications required or recommended for international travel depend on several factors including your age, health, and travel destinations. 

Also, talk to your doctor about other vaccines you may need based on your lifestyle, travel habits, and other factors.

Discuss your health concerns and share the following information about yourself and your travel plans with your doctor:

  • Health concerns or conditions like pregnancy, allergies, or chronic health problems.
  • Travel destinations and itinerary.
  • Type of travel (business, adventure, cruise)
  • Where you are staying (hostels, hotels, short-term rentals)
  • When you plan to depart and the length of your trip.
  • Types of activities you are planning.

Be sure to plan ahead, and get your vaccines at least 4 to 6 weeks before your trip. Note: It may take time to prepare for your pre-travel medical appointment, you may need more than one dose of certain vaccines, and your body will need time to build immunity.

Where Shots are Required

shots for healthcare workers - Covid vaccination

Certain immunizations are necessary for school, work, travel, and more. Military personnel, students, and residents of care centers, or rehabilitation facilities must be vaccinated against diseases that circulate in close quarters. People who work in healthcare or other jobs that put them at risk for contracting and spreading preventable diseases also need to be immunized. And of course, shots are required before travel to many places around the world.

Regular immunizations are the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community from certain preventable diseases.

Whether you need to catch up on your routine vaccinations, have health concerns, or it is just time for your annual visit, contact the caring professionals at River Bend Medical Associates for an appointment today!

At River Bend Medical Associates, our primary healthcare team of family doctors, PAs, NPs, nutritionists, and support staff are highly skilled and dedicated to the healthcare needs of your entire family. From routine exams to illnesses and injuries, we are here to provide comprehensive and continuous care for you and your loved ones.