Ever since its invention in 1796, vaccination has protected both grown ups and children from serious disorders and preventable conditions that would otherwise affect them at a tender age such as, measles, yellow fever and polio. These diseases can cause long lasting effects like limb paralysis, amputations, partial deafness, convulsions, brain damage and even death. Have you ever imagined an immunization-free world?
It would be catastrophic
The best case in point was the deadly smallpox pandemic about a century ago. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the disease killed between 300 million to 500 million people in the 20th century alone. Until scientists developed the small-pox vaccine and eventually the disease was erased from planet earth.
Do you have young ones and are feeling doubtful about the whole immunization schedule that hits you once you have children? Here’s why you should think twice about skipping their scheduled shots.
Controlled morbidity and mortality rates
Going for your vaccine shots as recommended means that apart from avoiding disease, you protect your body from illnesses that may have otherwise resulted from variations of the same disease, which means fewer appointments with your doctor in the future. In the event where the diseases manifest, their severity is significantly decreased and would be milder than in the non-vaccinated. You may not be subjected to intensive medical treatment. This also directly raises your life expectancy rate.
Prevention of related diseases and Cancer
The official bulletin of the World Health Organization states that the Measles vaccination plays a huge role in preventing communicable diseases such as dysentery, bacterial pneumonia and malnutrition. Hepatitis B shots help prevent liver cirrhosis and the common HPV vaccination plays a major role in reduction of cervical cancer instances.
Reduces the risk of the body developing antibiotic resistance
Improper administration and excessive use of antibiotics paired with various deteriorating environmental factors has resulted in the increase in number of resistant pathogens. The faster a pathogenic population is in a human’s body at the time of treatment, the more likely drug resistance is to evolve. Vaccines are administered into the bloodstream before infections occur, hence, optimizing the immune system before harmful bacteria have the chance to multiply. This means that by the time antibiotics are necessarily prescribed to you, your body will be highly responsive to the medication, hence, a smaller dosage of the same, and fewer side-effects.
Reduced exposure to infection when travelling
As the adage goes, the world has been turned into a global village thanks to the rapid penetration and modernization of air travel. Travelers are the most common bio-agents, they transmit and disseminate contagious infections while in transit. This for instance explains the yellow-fever or measles shot one must receive before travelling out of the country. This is of core importance as it works to reduce the risk of exposure to infectious diseases abroad.
Adherence to immunization programs especially at the early childhood development stage has benefits that go beyond disease prevention. The long-term effects can be felt financially (health cost savings), and the ripple effect is that by it, the huge burden and fear of deadly infectious diseases is taken off society too making immunization a vital part of both family and public health.