Our Services / Immunizations

What are immunizations?

Immunizations (also known as vaccinations), are injections (shots) that protect you from serious diseases. When you receive an immunization, you get a tiny amount of the germs that cause the disease, but in a dead or weakened form. 

Introducing those germs prompts your body’s immune system to make antibodies (natural substances that target and kill the germs). Then, if you’re exposed to the same disease in the future, your immune system recognizes the germs and promptly starts to make the antibodies needed to protect you from the disease.

The immunity you receive from immunizations can last for a long time or, in some cases, a lifetime. You also need some immunizations yearly.

What diseases do immunizations protect me from?

Immunizations protect you from many different contagious diseases. Immunizations are first given at birth, and then children receive additional immunizations at a few points throughout their childhood years. 

Adults also need immunizations, and the adult immunization schedule can vary based on whether you had all the shots you needed as a child. Immunizations can protect you from many diseases, including: 

• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella
• Chickenpox
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Polio
• Whooping cough
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Pneumococcal disease
• Hepatitis A and B

Immunizations also protect you from both influenza (flu) and COVID-19. The flu shot changes every year so it can target the particular strains that experts predict will be the most prevalent during flu season. So, you need yearly flu shots to maintain your protection from the illness. 

The COVID-19 vaccine is another important shot for children and adults. So far, the COVID-19 vaccine has saved more than a million lives and prevented more than 10 million hospitalizations. 

Can I expect any side effects after my immunizations?

For the most part, side effects are unusual. If you do experience any side effects after an immunization, they’re likely to be quite mild, such as a low-grade fever, tiredness, and tenderness at the site of the injection. In most cases, side effects fade in a day or two. After immunizations, you can return to your usual routine right away.

Border Clinic, PLLC, offers easy access to the immunizations your family needs. To schedule an appointment for immunizations, call the office in Laredo, Texas, or book online today.