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Show Oct. 22-26 is Adult Immunization Week The need to better educate adults about protecting themselves against vaccine-preventable diseases has led Gov. Norm Bangerter to proclaim pro-claim the week of Oct. 22-26 as 'Adult Immunization Week. ' ' "Immunizations aren't just for kids," said Rick Crankshaw, manager of the Utah Department of Health's Immunization Program. He said adults should contact their doctor or local immunization clinic to determine which vaccinations they may need. "For adults and older adolescents ado-lescents there are safe and effective vaccines available which can prevent pre-vent serious diseases including influenza, in-fluenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria, measles, and rubella," said Cran-ckshaw. Cran-ckshaw. For example, nationally 20,000 influenza-associated and 40,000 pneumococcal deaths occur annually. annu-ally. More than 300,000 cases ol hepatitis B cases are reported each year. This disease primarily affects persons from 15-29 and accounts for some 5,000 deaths annually. From 1985-87, more than 90 percent per-cent of tetanus cases and 80 percent of diphtheria cases occurred in persons per-sons older than 20. In 1987, persons older than 15 accounted for 43 percent per-cent of reported measles cases. Utah statistics mirror the national figures. During the 1989-90 influenza in-fluenza season, there were 1,195 reported cases. In 1988, influenza and pneumonia accounted for 404 deaths among Utah adults and adolescents. ado-lescents. Persons older than 15 made up 28 percent of confirmed measles cases during the 1989 and 1 990 outbreaks. For more information contact a local health department or the Utah Department of Health, 538-6191. |