Our Services / Vaccine

The pain, misery, and potentially fatal outcomes of many diseases are preventable with vaccines. Doctor of Nursing Practice Lucas Egebe, PMHNP-BC, DNP, offers a comprehensive range of vaccines at Houston Medical-Mental Health Clinic in Houston, Texas. From measles and mumps to flu and COVID-19, you can protect your family with routine vaccinations. Call the office today to find out which vaccines you need or book an in-person or telehealth appointment online.

BODY CONTENT (350-400 words):

What is a vaccine?

A vaccine either prevents you from getting a specific disease or significantly reduces your chances of having it. Most vaccines involve having one or several injections.

The vaccine might contain a dead form of the infection or a live version that’s no longer harmful. Some vaccines consist of an inactive form of a toxin an infection produces. Newer vaccines, like those for COVID-19, use fragments of DNA or RNA — the disease’s genetic material.

How does a vaccine work?

A vaccine works by triggering an immune system response. Your immune system is the body’s defense against infection. It’s constantly looking for potential threats to your health and releasing antibodies to attack the invading viruses, bacteria, and other harmful organisms.

The antibodies your immune system produces kill the organism. Once it’s encountered a particular infection, your immune system retains a copy of the specific antibody, ready for the next time you come into contact with the same disease.

A vaccine provides your immune system with all the information it needs to create antibodies that protect you without your body suffering the disease.

What vaccines might I need?

Normally, you get most of the vaccines you need in childhood. The current immunization schedule for a child includes vaccinations against:

• Measles

• Mumps

• Rubella

• Chickenpox

• Rotavirus

• Pneumococcal infection

• Diphtheria

• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)

• Hepatitis A and B

• Tetanus

• Whooping cough (pertussis)

• Polio

• Flu

• Human papillomavirus (HPV)

You can get vaccinations against diseases that aren’t widespread in the United States but that you might get abroad, like yellow fever. There are also vaccines for diseases like rabies that affect few people.

Why should I consider vaccinations?

Immunizing yourself or your child against disease is much better than enduring a distressing, painful illness that could leave you unable to work or go to school. Many of these diseases can have long-term effects on your health, which vaccinations prevent.

It’s also much safer to have a vaccine than to risk catching one of these diseases, many of which are potentially life-threatening. Most vaccines are so effective that after you’ve had them, you don’t need to worry about getting sick with that infection for the rest of your life.

With a few vaccines, you need periodic boosters to maintain immunity. The flu vaccine is one you should have every year because there are so many flu strains. Houston Medical-Mental Health Clinic gives you a vaccine for the flu strain most likely to be dominant each year.

To keep your family safe, get everyone’s vaccinations up-to-date at Houston Medical-Mental Health Clinic. Call the office or book an appointment online today.