Globally, immunizations save more than three million lives every year in all age groups from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and measles - but more than three million still die due to lack of access to vaccines.
It is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it after it occurs, vaccination is one of the ways to prevent diseases. Vaccination boost the immune system and immunity is the body’s way of preventing diseases. Newborn babies are immune to many diseases because they have antibodies that they received from their mothers (passive immunity). This immunity fades away in the first year of life and they need to build up their own immunity (active immunity). When vaccinating your child you not only protect your child but also the persons with which your child comes in contact (Herd Immunity) and so the whole community and country.
Why vaccinate?
Some diseases are becoming rare because we have been vaccinated against them.
If we take away the protection given by vaccination, more people will become susceptible to the diseases.
If we stop vaccinations, a disease that is almost unknown would come back.
We vaccinate to protect our future
Disease control benefits:
Eradication of illnesses ( worldwide eradication of disease and requires high levels of population immunity in all regions of the world over a prolonged period with adequate surveillance in place) ) for example smallpox.
Elimination of illness ( disease can be eliminated locally without global eradication of the causative microorganism, for example, measles)
Control of mortality, morbidity, and complications
Prevention of infection
Mitigation of disease severity
Protection of the unvaccinated population
Preventing the development of antibiotic resistance
Safe travel
The process of vaccination involves giving a person small, harmless amounts of an infectious agent. If a person is exposed to these diseases in small and harmless quantities, the body’s immune system reacts by producing antibodies specific to the diseases thus making it easier for the immune system to combat the diseases in the future.
Vaccines are safe and highly effective at preventing diseases.
Side effects
Can include fever, irritability, vomiting, rash, and redness and/or swelling at the injection site.
Each vaccination may cause a different side effect.
Note: The studies recommend that analgesic(paracetamol) is not given before immunization and only given analgesic after vaccinations and if side effects are present.
What to do if there is a side effect
Give an analgesic (speak to your pharmacist about the medication) for pain and fever
An antihistamine cream may be applied on the injection site if swollen or redness on the injection site.
Vaccinations myths and safety
Aluminium is commonly found in air, food, and water. CDC and Food and Drug Administration are committed to ensuring that vaccines provided to the public are safe and effective.
There is no link between and autism, Thimerosal was removed or reduced to trace amounts in all childhood vaccines except some flu vaccines in multidose.
More reading references
NICD: VaccineInformation for Parents and Caregivers (South African publication)
CDC:
WHO:
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