“Vaccines have done such a great job of eliminating terrible illnesses, and people have become complacent and think they don’t need to get vaccinated,” says Northwestern Medicine Pediatrician Anita Chandra-Puri, MD. “Then there are serious outbreaks. Vaccines really do have an impact on decreasing illness.”

Vaccinate your children to protect them from preventable diseases with potentially serious complications. Sticking to the recommended vaccination schedule from the CDC can reduce catch-up immunizations and prevent high-risk medical conditions later in life.

“Have a conversation with your healthcare provider about which immunizations your child is due for and which immunizations you can receive as an adult to protect you,” says Dr. Chandra-Puri. “There are vaccines for every checkpoint for adolescents, young adults and older adults.”