Vaccination & Choices

Question 1

What does a vaccination do?

Answer 1

A vaccination helps the body to develop immunity and produce specific antibodies and memory cells so that microorganisms can be destroyed before they cause infection.

Question 2

What are the effects of a vaccination?

Answer 2

They are never completely safe and can produce side effects, most are never more than a minor rash.

Any extreme side effects are rare, but the vaccination usually carries less risk than the disease.

Question 3

What effect could genetic variation have on vaccinations?

Answer 3

Some people are more affected more than others.

Question 4

What happens when microorganisms mutate (genetically change) what happens to the vaccination?

Answer 4

Then the vaccines have to be redeveloped regularly because microorganisms mutate to produce new varieties (strains)

For example; Flu vaccinations are renewed every year.

Question 5

Does everyone have to be vaccinated?

Answer 5

No, people can refuse to have a vaccination.

Question 6

Does not having the vaccination have any major impact?

Answer 6

More who say no, the greater the chance of a disease outbreak (epidemic) and the faster it will spread.

Question 7

Why is it important that as many people are vaccinated as possible?

Answer 7

It is important to vaccinate as many people as possible to prevent epidemics like measles. If more than 95% of the population are vaccinated then the vaccinated will be protected too