(ARA) - Whether you are an adult or a child, viruses, bacteria and disease can strike at any time and are not something which can always be dismissed with bed rest and soup. Terrible viruses, such as measles, have vaccines available, but have seen a continued rise in cases over recent years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Adults may take on a little of the ‘not me’ idea where they feel it’s not something they personally have to worry about because their body is strong enough,” says Dr. Sherly Abraham, residency program director of the Family Medicine Department at The Brooklyn Hospital Center. “But the reality is many of these individuals will become sick over the fall and winter, which could have been prevented with a vaccination.”

To help minimize the number of vaccine-treatable conditions, the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation, through support from Pfizer Inc, presents awards to family medicine residency programs that have achieved increased immunization rates in their communities through creative solutions. The mission of the AAFP Foundation is to advance the values of Family Medicine by promoting humanitarian, educational, and scientific initiatives that improve the health of all people.