Immunization
Immunization happens when a person
becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. Getting vaccinated is
one of the safest and most effective ways of preventing infectious diseases.
What
is immunization?
When disease-causing viruses or
bacteria (germs) invade the body, our immune systems are activated to attack
them. Vaccines work by mimicking these germs so that if you are exposed to the
real germ, your immune system is prepared to respond quickly.
Vaccines contain dead and weakened
forms of germs or small pieces of germs. Others contain genetic instructions
for immune cells to identify germs. Since vaccines do not contain germs in
disease-causing forms, they will not give you the disease they
are designed to prevent.
Most vaccines are given as an
injection (shot). Side effects are usually mild, such as redness or soreness
where the shot was given or a low-grade fever.
Why
is immunization important?
Getting vaccinated is one of the most
effective ways of preventing infectious diseases, disabilities, and deaths. In
the United States, routine childhood vaccines prevent many diseases, and
immunization has reduced the occurrence of most vaccine-preventable diseases by
over 95%.
Adults need vaccines too, even if you
got all your childhood shots. The protection for some shots can wear off over
time, and as you get older you may be at risk for diseases like shingles. All
adults should get a yearly flu shot and other vaccines based on age, job,
lifestyle, travel, or health conditions.
Getting vaccinated also helps
decrease the spread of diseases to other people. When enough people are
vaccinated against a disease, it is more difficult for that disease to spread
and cause an outbreak. People with serious allergies or weakened immune systems
who can’t get vaccinated will also gain some protection from getting sick
(known as community or herd immunity).
Are
vaccines safe?
Vaccines are one of the safest ways
to protect against many infections. Every vaccine is safety tested before it’s
approved by the FDA and recommended for use by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC). Vaccine manufacturers test each vaccine lot for identity,
purity, strength, and sterility before they are released for use. The FDA and
the CDC also monitor the safety of vaccines in infants, children, and adults
after they come to market.
In the event of a public health emergency, the FDA may issue an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to facilitate the availability and the use of a vaccine. An EUA requires an FDA review of data on the quality and consistency of the vaccine product and a review of data collected from studies with people who volunteer to take the vaccine.
To learn more about the related topics being discussed at the Vaccine Congress 2024, you can join the conference.
For info: https://vaccines.annualcongress.com/
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