Article Display

Shaw Airmen become immune

  • Published
  • By By Airman 1st Class Jensen Stidham
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Every day, between 100 to 120 active-duty members, retirees, spouses and children get their skin pierced with a needle at Shaw. Why? Because they are getting immunizations that are critical to potentially saving their lives.

Immunization is the process of becoming immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically in the form of a vaccine.

"The vaccines we give out are everything recommended by the Center for Disease Control," said Tech. Sgt. Richard Sangston, 20th Medical Operations Squadron NCO in charge of immunizations. "Pretty much every CDC recommended vaccination is mandatory for Department of Defense members."

Vaccines stimulate the body's own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease.

"There are certain vaccines that are mandatory for all active duty like hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, measles, mumps and rubella," said Sangston.

For most, the only time they get an immunization is during flu season.

"Flu season is always really busy," said Staff Sgt. Heather Forester, 20th MDOS immunization technician. "When flu season comes around, we travel to all of the squadrons so that we are available for them to get their vaccines."

Not only are they busy during flu season, but also when large amounts of Airmen deploy.

"We're only a two person shop, but we have eight backup technicians that can fill in for flu lines or deployments going on," said Sangston. "The deployments are the vaccines like anthrax, smallpox and typhoid."

While most vaccinations are simply one shot, the smallpox vaccine has to be administered through a series of 15 punctures.

"If someone needs the smallpox vaccination, which is one of the deployment vaccines, it has to be given in a completely separate room," said Sangston. "It's very infectious. There is about a 10 minute briefing for smallpox just to explain to everyone the rules as far as taking care of it."

With different types of vaccines, come different rules and guidelines with administering and handling.

"The biggest challenge is the constant changes in recommendations by the CDC," said Sangston. "Every year the CDC changes the guidelines on when you should give . There is a lot of reading and education that we have to stay up on to make sure that we know what we are doing and vaccinating people the way they should be vaccinated. Giving a vaccination incorrectly, not using the proper time-line, or giving it too early would mean the person wouldn't be properly vaccinated and still be susceptible to a disease."

"We have two refrigerators; one with a freezer because some have to be frozen," added Sangston. "Some are even light sensitive. Some aren't good for long. Smallpox is only good for a month. We have to check the temperatures of the refrigerators because these vaccines are very expensive."

Without immunizations and the constantly changing vaccines, the 20th FW would not be able to constantly provide combat ready Airmen at a moment's notice.

"Our goal is to protect all active duty and beneficiaries from vaccine preventable diseases," said Sangston.

"You don't always see the finished product, but at the same time I do see the finished product because I don't see sick people running around with polio or measles, mumps and rubella," said Senior Master Sgt. Richard Walker, 20th MDOS superintendent. "You have to look for the benefit; you know that you're doing good because you're providing a service that not many people are trained to do."