All You Need To Know About Vaccinations and Immunizations
“Get your child, and yourself Vaccinated and Immunized now to ensure the community’s safety,” we’ve all read it at least somewhere, but do we really understand its importance? Vaccinations and immunizations are vital for our good health. According to the World Health Organization, ‘Immunization’ is defined as “The process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine.” It means that immunizations make your immune system “familiar” with a disease so that it can develop protective antibodies to fight it off if you are ever exposed to them later.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines ‘vaccine’ as “A product that stimulates a person’s immune system to produce immunity to a specific disease, protecting the person from that disease.” It explains that vaccination is the process by which the vaccine is transferred into your body. This transfer can be injected, sprayed into your nose, or taken orally.
Why Take Vaccinations and Immunizations?
Ø It helps develop antibodies to provide immunity before children are exposed to life-threatening diseases like Hepatitis A, Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) disease and Measles.
Ø If most of the residents in a vicinity are immune to a disease, then it is unlikely to spread and affect others who were not vaccinated.
Ø Eradicate or nearly eradicate several diseases from society.
When Should You Take Vaccinations and Immunizations?
It is essential to make sure children and adults get their vaccinations at the recommended age. Children usually get it in the early years of their life while adults can get them after the 30s depending on the vaccine. Always consult your doctor before this process and mention if there had ever been any reaction after taking the vaccine in the past.
Are They Safe?
Every vaccine gets through a series of tests and observations to ensure its safety. The Food and Drug Administration first evaluates them by closely working with the company to ensure the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness after which they get a license. Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) and the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Project (CISA) are two famous vaccine monitoring companies in the USA.