To help physicians answer questions posed by the recent measles outbreak in California and to educate adult patients about their vaccination needs, the California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation has released an educational resource for patients on the recommended adult vaccine schedule.

Many adults may be skipping vaccinations for a variety of conditions, leaving them susceptible to disease. For example, the tetanus vaccine can prevent a deadly bacterial toxin. While adults should get a booster every 10 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last week that only 62.9 percent of people ages 19 to 49 had received the vaccine in the 10 years before 2013. Among people ages 50 to 64, only 64 percent had received the vaccine, and for those older than 65, only 56.4 percent were vaccinated.

Another important example is the herpes zoster vaccine, which prevents shingles, a painful blistering disease that can hit anyone over the age of 50 who has had the chicken pox. According to the CDC, just 24.2 percent of people over the age of 60 reported receiving the vaccine, although that was an increase from 20.1 percent a year earlier.

The CMA Foundation also encourages those interested in more information to follow #CommunityImmunity via Facebook (facebook.com/phcdocs) and Twitter (@theCMAF).

Contact: Veronica Ramirez, (916) 779-6624 or vramirez@phcdocs.org.