Recommended vaccines for healthcare workers

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend routine immunization to prevent 17 vaccine-preventable diseases that occur in infants, children, adolescents or adults. Of these, five are commonly recommended for healthcare workers (HCWs), including dental professionals.^1,2

Immunization levels in the USA are high, making rates of vaccine-preventable disease very low. In 2011, only four cases of rubella, no cases of diphtheria, 36 cases of tetanus, and no wild-type polio were reported to CDC.¹

Some diseases (like polio and diphtheria) are now very rare in the USA. Of course, they are uncommon largely because of vaccination coverage rates. But, it is still reasonable to ask whether it is worthwhile to keep vaccinating. If there are only a few cases of a disease today and we then take away the protection afforded by vaccination, more and more people would become infected. Diseases would stage a comeback. Before long, we would see epidemics. We vaccinate to protect our future.^1,2