Get Important Information about Vaccinations

Since its inception, vaccinations have saved thousands upon thousands of lives every single year by preventing illnesses and disabilities in the United States alone. Vaccines help your body to fight against diseases that were once deadly such as Chicken Pox or mumps.

Vaccines play an important part in public and family health as they help prevent contagions from spreading. The first true vaccine discovered was for smallpox and helped erase the disease completely. As of right now, it is the only disease to be exterminated completely due to vaccination.

WHAT ARE VACCINATIONS?

Vaccinations, also known as immunizations, are a way to help build your body’s natural immunity to a disease. This is done by providing additional antibodies to help fight the disease or sickness so you can avoid the illness beforehand.

In its purest form, a vaccine is a weakened form of the disease germ that is injected through a shot into your body. Your body will then detect the invading germs (also known as antigens) and produces antibodies to fight them. As a result, the antibodies will stay in the body for an increased period of time.

HOW DOES IMMUNITY WORK?

But how exactly does immunity work? Your body essentially builds up a defense system to help fight foreign germs that could potentially kill or hurt you. The immune system is exposed to a multitude of germs. When it is exposed to a virus for the first time, your body will want to produce antibodies to fight against it. The bad part is, you usually will get sick in the process.

After the body adapts to the virus, the next time you are exposed to the germ, the antibodies will attack right away and you will most likely avoid the illness.

WHY VACCINATE?

Everyone needs vaccines as they can help you fight between life and death. They are recommended for infants, children, teenagers and adults and are widely accepted by most of the population. A vaccine is generally given at a younger age, to a child or infant to help them build immunity later on in life. This comes in the series of shots usually by the age of six or eight. In most cases, multiple shots can be administered at the same time to avoid hassle for the child or adult.

ARE YOU VACCINATED?

If you believe you are not vaccinated, it is crucial to see a doctor as soon as possible to discuss your options. It is important to keep in mind that some people, depending on family history or age, are not recommended for vaccination.

ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?

There are usually no side effects to getting a vaccine besides a slight fever or mild redness around the shot area. But, these disappear quickly within a few days. It takes years for the government to pass and approve a vaccine to be safe and effective. Even after the vaccination is administered to the public, the FDA still continues to monitor its use to ensure that there are no safety issues.

IN CONCLUSION

Vaccinations serve as a powerful tool for medical prevention. They are available and helpful during most stages of life. Contact a professional near you for more information regarding vaccinations.