Preteen Vaccine Week stresses disease prevention

It’s better to prevent disease than to have to treat it. Preteen Vaccine Week, a statewide observance set for January 21-27, is intended to raise awareness of the importance of preteen doctor visits and immunization in preventing diseases.

The preteen doctor visit is an excellent opportunity for 11- and 12-year-olds to get vaccines they need, including a TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis) booster, meningococcal vaccine and a second chickenpox shot (if they have never had chickenpox).

These diseases are still present in the community. There were 371 cases of pertussis reported i...