1) I don't need to get vaccinated if everyone else has been vaccinated.

FALSE

Even though most of the people you encounter throughout your day have been vaccinated, the reason you need to get vaccinated is to protect anyone who would be put at risk by complications from the disease. You never know when you might be in contact with someone whose immune system may not be able to handle fighting off the disease that you're carrying. A disease you wouldn't have if you'd gotten vaccinated.

2) My children got all the vaccinations the pediatrician recommended, so now that they're teenagers, we're done until they go to college.

FALSE

There are a number of vaccinations your teenagers need, depending on their current health care status. There's the yearly flu vaccine, of course. And, the meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV), that protects against meningitis. The first time for receiving the MCV is around age 11, followed with a one-time booster between the ages of 16 and 18. Another important vaccination, if your teen missed it earlier, is for human papillomavirus (HPV) that can protect against cervical cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends this vaccine for both males and females, since men can be carriers of the virus.

3) Being immunized naturally (by contracting the disease) is better than getting vaccinated.

FALSE

Contracting a vaccine-preventable disease can expose you to many potential dangers and long-term negative effects. However, being vaccinated helps your immune system recognize the disease before it can cause you any of these potentially life-threatening complications.

4) There is a vaccination that people can get to prevent rabies.

TRUE

We've heard of vaccinating our pets against rabies. Well, there is a vaccination to prevent rabies for people, too. It's usually offered to those at high risk for encountering the disease, like veterinarians and people whose jobs call for handling animals regularly.

5) If you are a healthy adult, at what age should you begin getting a vaccine to protect against pneumonia (pneumococcal vaccine)?

D) 65

CDC recommends that healthy adults regularly get the pneumococcal vaccine at age 65 and older. The vaccine protects older adults from the potentially life-threatening complications of pneumonia.

6) Only young women need to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) that puts one at risk for cervical cancer.

FALSE

Both young women and young men are recommended to get vaccinated and protect themselves from HPV. One of the main reasons is that young men can become carriers of the disease and infect their partners. The recommended age for being vaccinated is around 11 to 12 years old.

7) For which diseases might you need booster shots as an adult?

E) ALL OF THE ABOVE

Depending on your age, health status, and vaccination history, you may need the following boosters or first-time vaccines: Meningococcal (meningitis—booster at around 16); MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella); Pneumococcal (pneumonia protection); Td (tetanus and diphtheria protection) once every 10 years; and/or Varicella (chickenpox protection)

Ask your health care provider when you last received a particular vaccine and which ones are appropriate for you. And, if you're behind, bring yourself up to date by making an appointment today.

8) How frequently should you get a flu shot?

D) EVERY YEAR

The flu tends to be different year to year because of different strains and mutations. Each year's flu vaccine is custom-tailored to address that year's dominant strains, so the shot you got last year probably won't protect you from this year's flu.

9) I don't have to get any vaccinations if I'm traveling on a cruise ship.

FALSE

It's always a good idea to talk to your health care provider before you go out of the country. Depending on what countries you're visiting, you may need to be vaccinated for certain diseases. That way, you'll be protected if you go on a shore excursion, and you'll be protected from infection by others who go ashore and who could serve as carriers. Also, since there can be people from all over the world on a cruise ship and may not be fully vaccinated, make sure that you're up to date on your routine vaccines, too (flu, tetanus, measles, mumps, diphtheria, chickenpox, etc.).

Some common vaccines for those traveling abroad include: Hepatitis A and B, Meningococcal disease, Polio, Typhoid, and, in some cases, Rabies and/or Yellow Fever.

10) How many lives are saved worldwide through immunization by vaccination?

D) OVER TWO MILLION

In fact, according to the World Health Organization, immunization prevents two to three million deaths every year from diseases such as cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rotavirus, diarrhea, rubella and tetanus.