Vaccines have been one of the greatest advances in the history of medicine. Over the years, they have saved millions of lives and eradicated or controlled numerous deadly diseases.
The history of vaccination dates back to the end of the 18th century, when Edward Jenner, a British doctor, developed the first successful vaccine. Inspired by the observation that people exposed to the cowpox virus rarely contracted human smallpox, Jenner developed the first smallpox vaccine. This innovation ushered in the era of vaccines and paved the way for future advances.
The other historical example is that of the polio vaccine. The epidemics of this disease had a social impact due to the serious consequences of its paralytic form, present in its victims, mostly children. The most tragic and moving images of the effects of polio were the iron lung wards filled with children.
The development of two effective vaccines, Salk’s injectable vaccine in 1955 and Sabin’s oral vaccine in 1961, represented a substantial advance in the prevention of this disease. The decision of the WHO to take polio eradication as its goal in 1988 and the creation of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) association promoted the vaccination of the child population worldwide.
This strategy, not without difficulties, has allowed polio has been declared eradicated in different regions of the world. The last, in August 2020, was the WHO Africa Region. As of 2021, polio transmission exists only in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
New advances
Among the discoveries of smallpox and polio vaccines, many others of great importance took place, such as, for example, anti-rabies, anti-cholera, anti-diphtheria, anti-tuberculosis, etc. Subsequently, Since the 1960s, the vaccine arsenal has increased with that of measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis BHaemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), as well as combined vaccines, such as MMR.
Now, history shows that a fundamental issue is access to vaccines and the strategies chosen for this, such as the implementation of childhood vaccination schedules, their free administration and inserted within the public health system, which have played a key role in the prevention of infectious diseases.
What are vaccines?
A vaccine is any preparation whose function is to generate immunity in the body against a certain disease, stimulating it to produce antibodies that will then act to protect it against future infections, since the immune system will be able to recognize the infectious agent and destroy it. It’s about a biological medicine constituted from microorganisms (bacteria or viruses), dead or attenuated, or products derived from them.
Vaccines have a fundamental role in health protection, since they cleverly trick the immune system. Its function is to make the body believe that it is being attacked by an infectious agent, which triggers a defensive response. What is notable is that the microorganisms present in the vaccines are dead or weakened (attenuated), meaning there is no health risk.
Currently, combined vaccines have been developed, such as trivalent or hexavalent, which allow simultaneous immunization against multiple relevant diseases. It is relevant to highlight that the Adverse effects of vaccines are generally very mild, such as slight redness and pain at the injection site, fever, or muscle aches. Serious effects are extremely rare.
The administration of vaccines is substantially intramuscular, although in some cases it is applied orally. Multiple doses over time are usually required to maintain effective immunity. For this reason, It is crucial to follow the vaccination schedules recommended by the Spanish Pediatric Association (AEP) and national and regional health authorities, as they guarantee effective long-term protection.
Vaccination Decalogue
Vaccination protects you and protects us all. It is very important that there are many people vaccinated against each disease, since the microorganism that causes it circulates much less and thus people who, for various reasons, have not been vaccinated, will also be protected. This is what is called community immunity. It saves lives every year. It helps fight diseases, making their control, elimination and even eradication possible. Vaccination is important throughout life, it does not end in childhood. It prevents complications. of infectious diseases and some types of cancer. It provides social and economic benefits. It is a basic right of citizens. The National Health System provides the vaccines included in the official vaccination schedules free of charge, depending on age and other individual circumstances. It is part of a healthy lifestyle. Vaccines are safe. Take advantage of any visit to the Health Center to Check if you are well vaccinated.
2023-10-24 05:00:24
#Prevent #protect #vaccinate
