Immunization is the process whereby a person is made immune or resilient to an infectious disease, usually by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines encourage the body’s own immune system to protect the person against ensuing infection or disease.

Immunization is a proven means for regulating and removing life-threatening infectious diseases and is estimated to avert between 2 and 3 million deaths each year. It is one of the most economical health investments, with proven approaches that make it available to even the most hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. It has clearly defined target groups; it can be delivered efficiently through outreach activities, and vaccination does not require any major lifestyle adjustment.

Some Immunization facts:

  • Immunization saves more than three million lives every year.
  • More than 1 million infants and young children all over the world die every year from rotavirus diarrhea and pneumococcal disease. Both of these diseases can be stopped through vaccination.
  • The global measles mortality rate has reduced by 74%. This has been conceivable due to resilient campaigns for vaccination worldwide.
  • Thanks to extensive vaccination drives, the cases of Polio have diminished by more than 99%. According to the WHO, only 3 countries in the world are now polio-endemic. It includes Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.
  • As per UNICEF, if all children were vaccinated with the current vaccines, at least 25 million lives could be saved between 2011 and 2020.
  • With the exclusion of drinking water, no other human undertaking can equal the influence immunization has had in reducing infectious diseases mortality – not even antibiotics
  • Immunization reduces mortality, morbidity, diminishes direct, and indirect medical costs.
  • Flu vaccine has led to a 70% drop in hospitalizations.
  • Hepatitis B vaccines have caused a decline in the occurrence of liver cancer

The World Health Organisation is running a Global Vaccine Action Plan (GAVP) that intends to prevent deaths due to diseases that can be stopped through vaccination. Under this strategy, the organization is occupied towards increasing access to vaccinations, thereby increasing the percentage of coverage. By 2020, all the countries are targeting to increase vaccination coverage by 90% countrywide.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). Each summer, the National Public Health Information Coalition (NPHIC) highpoints the importance of vaccines and why individuals of all ages should stay up to date. Getting immunized not only protects you from getting a grave or life-threatening disease, but it also helps protect others who are not suitable for vaccinations due to certain factors like disease, age, pregnancy, or allergic sensitivity.

Common Vaccines:

  • Influenza (flu)
  • Td/ Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis., whooping cough)
  • HPV(human papillomavirus)
  • Varicella (chickenpox)
  • Zoster
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, rubella)
  • Pneumococcal
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Meningococcal disease
  • Shingles

Benefits of Immunizations:

  • Cost-effective – Preventing diseases is much less costly than treating them; immunizations save money by preventing diseases.
  • Safe – Immunizations are intended to protect children, and receive general testing and monitoring to make sure they are harmless.
  • Effective – Most vaccinations are 90 to 95 percent operational at preventing the diseases they aim at.
  • Protect those nearby you – Not everyone is able to get inoculated. By making sure you and your children are vaccinated, you help halt the spread of diseases and defend those who can’t get immunized.
  • Simple and mostly painless – Immunizations are usually fast and stress-free to manage, and usually leave the patient with slight or no pain from the injection.
  • Protection for travel – Traveling can put you at risk for diseases that are rare in your country. Immunizations help protect you from diseases you may encounter in other nations.

How Does A Vaccine Work?

All immunizations work in the same manner. The vaccination uses your body’s immune system to increment protection to an infection before you come into contact with that contagion. In other words, it is like being sick with the disease without exhibiting the actual symptoms.

If you come into connection with an infection after you’ve been vaccinated, your body works to stop you from getting the disease, or you may get just a minor case. Unlike other planned methods to immunisation (such as homeopathy), vaccinations have been rigorously tested to determine their safety and efficiency in protecting against infectious disease

Modern outbreaks of infectious diseases

Many infectious diseases are exceptional or not around anymore, thanks to vaccination. But there are still communicable disease outbreaks occurring around the world today:

  • Flu, chicken pox, whooping cough and measles– these diseases still have infrequent outbreaks in Australia, mainly when brought in from overseas. They could make a strong retort if people stop vaccinating. In January 2019, 62,225 measles cases were informed globally compared to the same phase in 2018 when only 23,535 cases were reported
  • Zika– in February 2016 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Zika virus an international public health emergency after outbreaks in Central and South America. There is constant evidence of spread throughout the Americas, Africa and other regions of the world. As of 2018, a total of 86 countries and territories have stated evidence of mosquito-transmitted Zika infection
  • Ebola– the newest outbreak of Ebola virus disease started in Democratic Republic of Congo in August 2018, and is ongoing. 584 deaths have been confirmed during this epidemic.
  • HIV/AIDS– The first cases of HIV/AIDS were recognized in the gay community in America in 1981 and, by 1985, at least one case had been informed from each region of the world. In 2017, more than 36.9 million people around the world were living with HIV/AIDS. There is still no antidote, but current treatments permit patients to live long and healthy lives.
  • Covid-19 – It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and has resulted in an ongoing pandemic. As of 22 July 2020, more than 14.9 million cases have been reported across as many as 188 countries and areas, culminating in approximately 616,000 deaths. More than 8.46 million people have recovered.
  • No vaccines exist for Zika, Ebola or HIV/AIDS, Covid-19 but research is in progress.
  • Development of Vaccines

It takes a long period to develop a new vaccine, usually between 10 and 15 years. The development process is demanding and the vaccine is constantly checked – even after it is being used – to make sure it is safe and operational.

A new vaccine goes through many stages of development, including research, discovery, pre-clinical testing, and clinical testing (which can take up to seven years) and regulatory sanction. Once the vaccine is permitted (another lengthy process of up to two years), the vaccine is then mass-produced and shipped to where it’s needed.

After vaccines are introduced into immunisation schedules, they are closely supervised through trials and observation to see if they are effective and safe. This is essential, as sometimes unforeseen side effects occur after vaccines are listed for use.

Some vaccines, such as the flu vaccination, need to be modernized every year to respond to altering infection strains and settings. For these updates, the process is compacted to ensure the vaccine is available as needed.

Need For Vaccination

The answer is simple – almost everyone! There are some exceptions – usually people with a grim medical condition (for example, a fragile immune system). But don’t ever decide against immunisation without consulting with your General Physician first. Your doctor will counsel which vaccinations you need based on your health condition, age, lifestyle and occupation.

If 95 per cent of us are vaccinated, the spread of disease is condensed, which helps to protect everyone. Vaccination is particularly recommended if you:

  • are a new-born or young child
  • have a new-born baby
  • are pregnantor planning for a baby
  • are caring for very young babies (for example, parents, grandparents and carers)
  • are an older person
  • have plans to travel outside the country
  • Are medically at risk due to certain conditions (such as asthma) or treatment.

Importance:

Immunizations are Safer than the Diseases They Protect Against

Some people worry that immunizations aren’t safe or can cause disease. Although there is a risk of antiphon with some immunizations, the most common side effect is slight pain and redness at the injection site. Some vaccines, including the diphtheria vaccine, can cause a low-grade fever for a few days. Serious side effects are occasional. Vaccines are thoroughly tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before being sanctioned for use. They are also carefully supervised for safety. Most immunizations cause no reaction at all.

On the other hand, the diseases these immunizations safeguard against can be fatal. Outbreaks of influenza, chickenpox, measles, and whooping cough remain to result in the hospitalization, and sometimes death, of otherwise healthy children.

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases are Still Present

With the theatrical reduction in vaccine-preventable diseases, it’s tempting to reflect that immunizing against those diseases is no longer required. Unfortunately, those diseases are still present, chiefly in countries with less access to vaccines. Without immunizations, viruses can return. This is exclusively true in the global world we live in. As people travel from one country to another, they may pick up diseases and spread them around. One person traveling to a country where a disease isn’t eradicated can get infected and stimulate an outbreak when they return home.

Herd Immunity

One significant feature of immunization is the idea of herd immunity. This is the concept that an immunized community supports and protects those who can’t get immunized or are more vulnerable by reducing the spread of disease. People who are more susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases include:

  • Infants too young to be vaccinated
  • The elderly
  • Pregnant women
  • Children and adults who haven’t been vaccinated
  • People with declining immune systems
  • People allergic to components of vaccines

Areas with low vaccination rates generate pockets where diseases can rapidly spread, but in areas with high vaccination rates, it’s hard for diseases to a blowout. With most vaccine-preventable diseases, the inception for operative herd immunity is over 80 to 90 percent of the population immunized. Having a population with high immunization rates benefits and protects those who are susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases.