The Importance of Vaccination in Children, Here’s How It Works

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Pediatrician Caessar Pronocitro conveyed the importance vaccination in children. According to him vaccination or immunization is the primary prevention of disease by inserting antigens or foreign objects such as viruses or bacteria that are weakened into a child’s body.

Components of a virus or bacterium are inserted with the aim of triggering the body’s immunity against the antigen. Other than that, vaccination it is also the most effective and efficient form of disease prevention so that it has been applied by all countries in the world.

The immune system itself is divided into nonspecific and specific. The difference, non-specific does not target certain antigens while the specific immune system has certain targets such as anti-measles antibodies, anti-hepatitis B antibodies, and others.

“If this specific immune system has been formed, its performance will be much faster and more effective in dealing with infections,” Caessar said in the Bintaro Jaya RSPI vaccination webminar, Wednesday (1/7/2020).

He analogized the non-specific immune system as a security guard in charge of capturing or securing various types of criminals ranging from thieves, robbers, and others. Whereas specific immunity is analogous to a special team dealing with terrorists.

“The problem is that this specific immune system will only form if the immune system has met its antigen or target. If you have never met the target, then a specific immune system cannot be formed. “

That is what causes the need for vaccination to form antibodies, he added. He gave an example, if a child has been given the measles vaccine, then his immune system is already acquainted with the measles virus.

“So the next time we are exposed to the real measles virus, the specific immune system can immediately form antibodies to fight disease. So that the disease does not form and attack. Or if you attack, then the symptoms are mild. “

If a specific immune system does not form a fast and adequate response, the infection can be widespread or even deadly.

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