August is National Immunization Awareness month, perhaps appropriately selected because children and teens are returning to school, older students are enrolling or returning to college, and senior citizens may even be thinking of the upcoming flu season.
Vaccines control and, in some instances, have eradicated many common infectious diseases that once ran rampant throughout our country, harming tens of thousands of people. In actuality, viruses and bacteria that cause vaccine-preventable diseases still exist for those individuals who remain unprotected. This may be because some people cannot be immunized for medical reasons, choose not to be or have their children not immunized due to safety concerns and still others whose religious beliefs don’t consider vaccination a viable alternative. However, maintaining high immunization rates protects that small community, as well as our entire nation. The results are, in my opinion, nothing short of astonishing.
When our bodies are invaded by “germs”, we become ill. Our immune systems recognize the offending organisms and respond by producing proteins known as antibodies. These antibodies have two jobs — destroy the invaders and to guard against future infection. The only concern here is that before we could develop an immunity we once had to actually get sick. And, this is where vaccines and remarkable research have come to the rescue. A vaccination will provide immunity againar a specific disease BEFORE it has had an opportunity to do harm. Let’s take a brief look at what has transpired over the years.
Diphtheria was a dreaded childhood disease until the early 1920s, killing more than 10,000 people every year. Once a vaccination became available in the 30s and 40s, those numbers dropped dramatically and today diphtheria is extremely rare. In fact, most doctors don’t even see a case in today’s society.
The measles vaccine was introduced in 1963. Prior to that, almost a half million cases were reported in the United States alone. Ten years following the availability of a vaccination, there were 32,000 cases. Ten years following that, there were fewer than 2,000 cases. By 1999, the count was down to 100 cases annually.
Smallpox was a devastating disease until the middle of the 20th century. In 1967 the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated a worldwide vaccination campaign. Within 12 years, the disease was completely wiped out.
The 1950s brought about polio that left thousands of children paralyzed. The Salk and Sabin vaccines became available, nearly eradicating this debilitating disease.
The necessity for vaccinations varies. Standard immunization often includes diphtheria (DPT), hepatitis A&B, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), and polio. Children, health care workers, and the elderly are often advised to get the yearly influenza vaccine. The pneumonia vaccine is primarily given to those over 65 or with specific health conditions/risks. Health care workers may require others, to include varicella (chicken pox) immunization unless there is either proof of immunity or a documented history of the disorder. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) now recommends human papillomavirus (HPV) in a three-shot series to reduce the chances a woman will develop cervical cancer or genital warts. This protection must be initiated before any sexual contact takes place, generally around age 11. Adult women who have not had the vaccine and who are 26 or younger should also receive the vaccine. Following that, it is believed most women have been exposed to the virus, making immunization a moot point. The CDC also recommends one dose of a pertussis-containing tetanus injection (Tdap) for health care professionals, meningitis for adolescents and college students as well as adults with specific medical conditions. Everyone should receive a tetanus inoculation every 10 years or following an animal or human bite, deep puncture (especially from a rusty objection) if immunization is in question or nearing the end of the 10-year span.
A complete listing of timing for what should be administered when and in how many doses can be obtained by visiting the CDC’s website www.cdc.gov/vaccine.
Vaccines don’t just protect our children against specific illnesses; they protect everyone around them who may be endangered by illness, such as younger siblings, pregnant women and the elderly. No parent wants a child to become ill, especially from something we can vaccinate against. Increased awareness can go a long way to keep us on the road to good health. Getting and remaining healthy will lower financial costs. By reducing health care costs we can all work together to ensure a better nation.
