Real Guys Immunize – A Father’s Day Tribute.
Jun 17, 2010
- Real Guys Immunize
By Christine Vara
So often media messages regarding children’s health are directed towards women – or more appropriately “moms”. In emphasizing the role of mothers in immunization decisions, we must not forget the importance of the men in our lives. Historically, men have been considered the head of the household, the provider for the family and, in essence, the leader of the pack. Men feel it is their duty to protect their families from harm and families often depend on that protection.
Introducing the Real Guys Immunize social media campaign. This is clearly a message that has relevance in today’s society: Empowering men to protect themselves and their families from vaccine preventable diseases.
So what can a real guy do?
- First, they can immunize themselves to increase the protection offered to the “pack” by herd immunity, which is critical in preventing the resurgence of diseases such as measles and mumps.
- By keeping up to date on their own vaccinations, they can effectively “cocoon” their loved ones. Take for instance the recommendation that fathers receive a Tdap booster to protect their infant children from whooping cough during the period before these infants begin receiving their own vaccinations.
- Fathers should be involved in the decisions to immunize their children and can be essential in ensuring their children are up to date on vaccinations.
- Young boys and adolescent men are encouraged to receive vaccinations for HPV and meningitis.
- Elderly men should also receive immunizations for flu, shingles and other diseases to not only protect themselves, but to limit the possibility that they might infect younger members of their family such as grandchildren.
The fact is that the more guys immunize, the more they will protect their families and be hailed as heroes.
In honor of Father’s Day, tell us about your father, husband, grandfather, uncle, brother or friend in the captains’ corner of the Real Guys Immunize website. We invite you to include include your own story about the real guys you know who immunize and check out the information within the i Herd section. Visit the Facebook page to include a message and share a photo about these real guys in your life. Share the website on twitter so that we can spread the word that “Real Guys Immunize”. Honor the men in your life by sending them a special Father’s Day e-card from the Real Guys Immunize campaign. They will certainly appreciate it and you will be doing your part to support healthy families. There is even a collection of informative, and sometimes humorous, videos on youtube for you to share.
Let us know your thoughts about this exciting new campaign by commenting below.
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