Introduction to Vaccination
The Importance of Vaccination: How It Protects You and Your Community
Vaccination and Immunization have been considered one of the greatest scientific achievements to increase life expectancy all around the globe. It has reduced infant mortality and according to the World Health Organization it has reduced deaths by 4 – 5 million annually.
Throughout History Vaccines have been able to eradicate diseases like smallpox, poliomyelitis, HPV infection, herpes Zoster, malaria and other diseases in various countries all over the world.
Vaccines administered in populations provide immunity creating what is commonly known as herd immunity. This means that once an individual is vaccinated, they not only protect themselves but also protects the transmission of a disease to others. This provides the total population with protection, hence eliminating the disease.
The most recent example of a vaccine that saved lives was the COVID vaccine. Statistics shows that this vaccine probably saved 14.4 million lives in one year across the globe.
How Vaccination Works
How Do Vaccines Work?
The science behind vaccines and immune response.
Vaccines are the most effective invention in health care ever achieved. Vaccines create a process that engages the human body’s natural defenses to imitate an infection hence creating a natural defense mechanism for the human body and creating immunity.
The antigens in vaccines produce natural immunity to a disease by stimulating the immune system in the body. Antigens are a protein produced by white blood cells that allow the human body to fight external viruses and bacteria. Once the white blood cells multiply and attack a disease that is not native to the human body, the body becomes immune to the disease after the attack is completed.
The key is that the vaccine does not set the human body with the disease but creates a process to fight the disease. This has been amazing scientific findings for all diseases.
Types of vaccines (live, inactivated, mRNA, etc.)
A few vaccines require multiple doses. If a single dose vaccine is administered, the person will not have full immunity.
Live Vaccines – A ‘live’ or active vaccine can provide i lifetime immunity with two doses, but a non-live vaccine will require more than two dose to create immunity from a disease. The active immunity is created by being exposed to the organism that causes the disease. Examples of these are the chickenpox vaccines, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccines.
Non-Live – ‘Non-Live’ vaccines should be administered as required as immunity fades over time. E.g. are the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccines which is the science behind the mRNA. The science of mRNA creates a single strand of an RNA molecule. This RNA process synchronizes the genetic sequence to a gene in a human body which instructs the cells in the human body to create an immune response to a disease.
Herd immunity helps protect vulnerable individuals
Vaccines administered in populations provide immunity creating what is commonly known as herd immunity. This means that once an individual is vaccinated, they not only protect themselves but also protects the transmission of a disease to others. This provides the total population with protection, hence eliminating the disease.
Benefits of Vaccination
Why Vaccination is Essential for Everyone
Protecting Yourself – How vaccines prevent severe illness.
History has proven that vaccines save lives. Individuals should get he recommended vaccines at the recommended times. Individuals who are immune compromised and those working in high-risk professions are strongly urged to get vaccinated with all the follow-up booster as recommended for each vaccine.
Vaccines create a natural defense for the human body against disease. Immunity allows a person to be either fully or partially resistant to a disease.
Safeguarding Your Community – Reducing disease spread.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccines save 3.5 million to 5 million deaths per year. The diseases that indicate these metrics are diphtheria, tetanus, influenza, Measles and pertussis.
Vaccines that science has developed can create immunity for over 20 diseases. COVID-19 challenged the health system and research across the globe. The fact that a vaccine was developed in record time saved millions of lives across the globe.
Lowering Healthcare Costs – Prevention vs. treatment expenses.
The Centers for Disease Control has indicated that over $540 billion (2024 metric) is saved due to vaccinations and disease prevention.
Being pro-active in the management of disease that are highly communicable reduces medical treatment, hospitalization and long-term care for chronic diseases and conditions.
Common Vaccines and Their Importance
Essential Vaccines You Should Get
Childhood Vaccines (MMR, Polio, DTaP)
Children are exposed to diseases due to various environments they are in (schools, day care, food they eat and things that they put in their mouth). It is important to get your child vaccinated against.
Childhood vaccines are administered by age and dosages over time. For follow-up doses please contact your laboratory when you receive your first dose, and they will provide you with the frequency of the follow-up doses.
Below are some of the common required vaccines but there are additional vaccines that should be administered. Please consult your provider for additional required vaccines.
Babies & Children
HEP B – within 24 hours of birth (1st dose) 1 – 2 months (2nd dose) 6 – 18 months (3rd dose)
RSV – under 8 months – during RSV season
DTaP – between 1 – 2-months (1st dose) 4 months (2nd dose) 6 months (3rd dose) 4 – 6 years (5th Dose)
Polio – 2 months (1st dose) 4 months (2nd Dose) 6 – 18 months (3rd Dose) & 4 – 6 years (4th dose)
MMR – 12 – 23 months (1st dose) 4 – 6 years (2nd dose) – Depends on vaccine manufacturer this could be 3 doses.
Note: Booster does will be required as your child matures into adulthood
Adult Vaccines: For ages 19 – 26 years
Hep B – should be administered for adults between the ages of 19 – 59
MMR – Adults should have at least 1 dose Students should have 2 doses each separated by 28 days.
Tdap – Should be administered to an adult if they have not been vaccinated before with a booster shot after 10 years.
Flu – This is highly recommended for adults and immune compromised individuals especially during the flu season
HPV – This should be administered if it was not received earlier in life (between 11 – 12 years of age)
Travel VaccinesThese are administered depending on the countries of destination. Please call your provider for additional information. SmarTest Labs can assist with guidance as requested. Common travel vaccines are Hepatitis, Yellow fever, Malaria and typhoid vaccines.
Myths and Facts About Vaccination
Debunking Common Vaccination Myths and vaccine Efficacy
Common misconceptions about vaccine safety and side effect
Fact:
Vaccines have been proved scientifically as being safe and effective in preventing diseases. They protect individuals from life-threatening diseases and been proved to boost the immune response to diseases. This has proven to be true all over the world. We specifically saw this during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The exact dosage of the vaccine must be administered as directed by the scientific evidence.
Myth: Vaccines cause autism and infant sudden death syndrome (SIDS)
Most vaccines produce just a sore arm for a few days. It is unusual to have a critical health event after a vaccine is administered. Non-vaccinated individuals are far more likely to contract a disease than those who are vaccinated. The benefits of getting a vaccine far outweigh the risks of the vaccine itself. There is some doubt that vaccines cause autism. It has been proved that to be untrue after significant scientific research.
Myth: Avoiding childhood vaccination is safer
The only way to create herd immunity is to vaccinate populations. It starts at childhood and when a child is born. It avoids the spread of disease from the initiation of life in a person, spread of the disease to others with immune compromised deficiencies.
Myth: Vaccines cause diseases
It is not possible for a vaccine to cause a disease because a vaccine is a non-active vaccine.
Examples of exception are the chickenpox vaccine that react to the vaccine and causes a rash which if considered a good result as the vaccine is being effective.
Scientific evidence supporting vaccine efficacy.
A vaccine efficacy is determined through a rigorous scientific methodology called clinical trials. This process measures the number of people who got vaccinated and developed a scientific outcome that was expected than those who did not get a disease / outcome.
Once the study is completed the level of risk of the vaccine is measured to determine if efficacy is high or low.
Where to Get Vaccinated?
Get Your Vaccination at SmarTest Labs
SmarTest Labs is your trusted source of information for vaccination and immunization requirements in the Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC areas. We provide vaccinations using the CDC guidance.
Call us at 301-686-8566 if you need and appointment or guidance on the required vaccines for adults or your child.
Book an appointment Today or contact us at contacts@smartestlabs.com
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