Nursing Care of the Postmenopausal Woman, 3rd Edition
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cancer prevention campaign called Slip! Slop! Slap! And Wrap. These are remind- ers about ways to help protect the skin and eyes from the sun’s UV rays. First, Slip on a shirt; next, Slop on sunscreen; then Slap on a hat; and finally, Wrap on sun - glasses to protect the eyes and the sen- sitive skin around the eyes (ACS, 2019b). IMMUNIZATIONS Since the start of the COVID-19 pan- demic in early 2020, vaccines have come to the forefront of our minds with much debate and discussion regarding immuni- zations. Vaccines were quickly developed to combat the coronavirus. Adults were initially advised to get two doses of one of the first two vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. The sec - ond dose was to follow the first by three to eight weeks, depending on the brand of the first vaccine received. All adults, but particularly those who were 65 years or older, or people who were at high risk for becoming sick with COVID-19 (such as those with chronic illness, immunocom- promised individuals, or obese persons) were strongly encouraged to receive the vaccines. Since the initial wave of vacci- nations, two other brands of COVID vac- cines have emerged as options: Johnson & Johnson and Novavax. Booster injec - tions are also now recommended approx- imately three months after receiving the initial doses. Furthermore, a new biva- lent booster was recently added to the COVID-19 arsenal. It is called bivalent because it protects against the original COVID-19 virus and the newer Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5. Immunization for COVID-19 is currently recommended for children six months of age through adult- hood (CDC, 2022b).
In addition to COVID-19 vaccines, women need to update their tetanus and diphtheria and pertussis immunizations, or Tdap, every 10 years. Adults are rec- ommended to have the immunization for pertussis because it spreads so easily and can cause serious illness in people of all ages. All women should also receive an influenza vaccine each year. At some point, older women should also receive a pneumococcal vaccine. There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines: Pneumococcal conjugate and pneumococcal polysaccharide. Pneu- mococcal conjugate vaccines are rec- ommended for women over age 65, but they can be given to younger individuals if they have risk factors or certain medical conditions. A total of up to two doses are recommended (see the Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older, United States, 2018 [CDC, 2018]). One of every three people will devel- op shingles in their lifetime (CDC, 2018). Women who have previously had chick- enpox (varicella) are at risk for developing shingles later in life because the varicella zoster virus remains in the nerve cells of the body and can be reactivated. Peo- ple who are most at risk for developing shingles include those older than age 50, anyone with a condition that causes a de- creased immune response, and people who are taking immunosuppressive med- ications. There is now a two-dose series for herpes zoster, called Shingrix, that can be used independent of immune status. It should not be given to anyone who might be pregnant (CDC, 2022a).
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