WPS Health Insurance, a Leading Provider of Individual Health Insurance, Observes National Immunization Awareness Month

Interactive "Immunizations" article is one of hundreds of online health articles available 24/7 from the WPS Health Center

MADISON, Wisconsin
July 24, 2012

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Now is the perfect time to talk about vaccinations with family, friends, and coworkers. WPS Health Insurance, Wisconsin's leading not-for-profit health insurer and provider of affordable group and individual health insurance, offers several articles about immunizations on its website to help readers get the information they need.

"Immunizations aren't just for kids," WPS Senior Medical Director Dr. Marvin Wiener says, "although children typically do require more vaccinations than adults. Everyone should get the shots they need to help protect against serious diseases and illnesses."

People 6 months old and older should get a seasonal flu shot every year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website, healthfinder.gov. The site states that other shots to be considered include:

• Children younger than 6 years old should get a series of shots to protect against measles, polio, chicken pox, and hepatitis.
• All 11- and 12-year-olds should have shots to help protect against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, and meningitis.
• Doctors recommend girls aged 11 to 12 also get the HPV vaccine to protect against the most common cause of cervical cancer.
• All adults need a tetanus shot every 10 years.
• People age 65 should get a one-time pneumonia shot.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about which shots you and your family need. For more information on immunizations, visit the WPS Health Center and read our "Immunizations" article. It offers more specific information on vaccinations, reasons to get immunized, possible side effects, definitions of key terms, and more.

About WPS Health Insurance
Founded in 1946, WPS is Wisconsin's leading not-for-profit health insurer, offering affordable individual health insurance, family health insurance, high-deductible health plans, and short-term health insurance, as well as flexible and affordable group plans and cost-effective benefit plan administration for businesses. The WPS Medicare division administers Part A and B benefits for millions of seniors in multiple states, and the WPS TRICARE division serves millions more members of the U.S. military and their families. In 2012, the international Ethisphere® Institute named WPS one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for the third straight year. WPS is the only health insurance company to earn this distinction multiple times. For more information about WPS Health Insurance, visit www.wpsic.com.