Immunization
Let us take two terms that have been used interchangeably for
the last few months or so and which are very important to understand. In other
words, we are going to talk about immunization and vaccination.
What is Immunization?
In simple terms, immunization means something which helps our
immune system to recognize the threat posed by invaders, like a disease (like measles,
polio, and others) or a vaccine (like seasonal flu). With vaccines, we can say
that they help make sure that our bodies stay free from diseases. So if you got
polio, then immunizations help your body fight this disease, whereas if you got
measles, then immunizations may not be enough and you will also need to get
your family vaccinated as well. In fact, all viruses which pose a disease can
be prevented through vaccines, but not with immunizations, and there exists a
spectrum of pathogens like cancer that cannot be stopped only via vaccines.
This distinction between vaccinations and immunizations should never confuse
anyone. Also, please take note of this difference in the name of the two terms.
Please keep them apart.
Immunizations
Immunizations are given to human beings (not animals and
insects), while vaccines are given to animals and insects. Vaccines are things
like insecticides, antibiotics, vaccines against some types of
bacteria, etc. For example, vaccinations against seasonal Flu are not done
using medicines. These medications are used only to stop the spread of certain
microbes and not to prevent illness due to their side effects (e.g., fever and
vomiting). You may recall my article on vaccinations, wherein I talked about
how vaccines can only be used as a short-term solution rather than being
effective for long-term protection.
So, what exactly does it mean that we talk about “vaccines”
instead of “immunizations”? Well, let me explain. Some vaccines actually
provide immunity but not protection. Others will do both, like vaccines against
smallpox and HIV. When we say that we are talking about vaccines, what is a vaccine really? A placebo? No, I am not saying that we don't actually need
drugs like chemotherapy or radiation therapy, which are necessary for curing
these cancers. But vaccines are designed to give temporary protection. If such
an intervention weren't used, diseases would continue to exist.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are given to people in order to build up immunity,
and the benefits it brings are quite vast. When vaccines are administered to
individuals, and the person receives them, there is evidence that there is
stronger protection against diseases. As already mentioned above, vaccines are
meant to offer greater protection than any drug, such as chemotherapy, but
still provide immunity of some sort.
One can imagine that if we wanted a permanent cure for many
ailments, we'd probably choose vaccination. It's possible that we wouldn't be
cured for certain illnesses only, but this depends on more specific types of
disease.
What kinds of vaccines are available?
The answer here depends largely upon your personal
circumstances. Of course, if you are healthy, you can definitely choose to live
with vaccines. However, you can also choose to get shots at different times of
the year, such as during summer and autumn or winter and spring. Another way of
choosing vaccination might be to ask doctors for advice. Again, this depends
upon your situation. Here is a list of some things to consider before you
decide how to choose whether to get a vaccination or not. Let's move on to what
vaccines are required for vaccination.
Vaccines are sometimes needed for children
Children in the U.S. are usually exempt from getting vaccines,
and they must be able to prove that he or she has specific health issues. Many
children can contract measles and polio, among others, without knowing it,
though most of them go to and recover from the issue. There are certain
exemptions that apply to kids under three years old, depending on a number of
factors, e.g., if the child lives with one of the following parents:
His parent or guardian.
His/her parent has legal guardianship of a child under the
age of 18.
His/her parent has signed for a medical exemption, which requires
that medical professionals should advise him/her that he does not qualify for vaccination because he/she suffers from a particular risk such as diabetes or
heart disease.
If one has certain medical conditions, that parent must decide
whether he/she is willing to get a vaccination or not.
There are multiple ways in which you can choose whether to
receive a vaccine or not. Since you must decide between vaccination and no
vaccination for yourself, we are going to discuss the main options that you can
choose, including their pros and cons.
Vaccinations
All vaccines are made from harmless biological agents (bacteria,
viruses, antibodies, proteins, etc.). All viruses and bacteria are
non-pathogenic entities because they do not cause disease or death, and thus
they are non-toxic to the host (for humans only). Smallpox, SARS, Ebola, polio,
and Influenzae are some of the known types of viruses and bacteria which cannot
cause disease, though, of course, large pot and HIV (human immunodeficiency
virus) pose a great hazard, and even now they are actively on the horizon of a
future pandemic. Vaccines are made from these organisms, and therefore they
protect the host and not harm it. That makes them one-of-a-kind systems.
How Long Do We Need To Stay Home After Getting A Vaccine?
We are talking about vaccines for preventing disease, but
vaccines are also given to stimulate and promote immunity throughout the entire
lifetime of an individual. And remember that vaccines are given after taking
time to recover from a disease or injury, which means that vaccinations are
often prescribed after recovery. Sometimes individuals require longer to
recover from a disease or injury, and this may depend on a variety of factors,
such as medical history, severity, or duration of recovery. Thus, we should
always evaluate the situation of an individual in terms of his/her current
condition, injury, or recovery.
Vaccines are generally given over several weeks or months
between shots while recovering from the infection or disease. Sometimes people
may require two shots, for instance when receiving a shot for measles and a
second shot when undergoing treatment for cancer. People are encouraged to
follow proper safety guidelines when receiving vaccines. Other people might
require a single shot so that everyone can be protected against the disease.
Vaccines have been shown to be highly effective when they are
given early on in life when someone was still developing protective antibodies.
They are less likely to have undesirable side effects, including pain or
discomfort, bleeding, swelling, redness, or diarrhoea. On the contrary, vaccines
can often cause serious side effects when given late in childhood or after they
are introduced for the first time.
Vaccines can also offer protection until a person has received a
second shot. Thus, the process of acquiring a vaccine should be undertaken for
the sake of protecting your health and the health of those around you.
In addition to those aforementioned reasons, we should mention
that vaccines are less likely to weaken our immune system due to the nature of
immunizations for which they are given. Though vaccinations have been
associated with milder side effects in adults compared to younger children,
studies show that children who received vaccines early on in life are more
susceptible to severe adverse effects. Therefore, it is essential to use both,
vaccine and antibody-based interventions as part of our arsenal to reduce
adverse effects.
What Are the Adverse Effects of Taking Vaccines?
Despite the lack of information concerning adverse effects, it is clear that vaccines have little if anything to do with adverse effects. Vaccines are also safe for children (who receive them), adults, and pregnant women. There were some cases where vaccines were unsafe for children. More common cases than adverse health effects, however, were those involving allergic reactions to vaccines. Still, the key point is that vaccines don't lead to diseases. However, they do make our immune system much stronger and that, in turn, leads to an improvement in our overall health.
