Vaccinations Inductory

Question 1

Vaccines are hailed as one of the greatest global health achievements…

Answer 1

avoiding an estimated 2-3 million deaths per year (WHO) and significantly reduce child mortality

Question 2

The primary purpose of vaccinations

Answer 2

is to protect the individual from infectious diseases that can cause significant harm

Question 3

Herd immunity

Answer 3

-When an individual is vaccinated, they become less of a threat to others as the disease cannot spread as widely, reducing outbreaks, reducing the reservoir of susceptible people, and ultimately leading to the eradication of the disease-causing agent
-Herd immunity is extremely important as it protects those who are vulnerable or cannot be vaccinated (infants, elderly, pregnant women, immunosuppressed).

Question 4

Babies lack immunity, and older people’s immunity declines over time

Answer 4

Some groups are more susceptible to infectious diseases, or the risk of serious harm is higher; pregnant women and those with co-morbidities. Social changes, where one is introduced to a different environment or different people increases the risk of exposure to previously unseen infectious diseases; when children start school or young people start university, vaccines are recommended.

Question 5

The prevalence of an infectious disease is affected by the environment

Answer 5

in the UK, the influenza virus is common in winter because it thrives when temperatures are lower. Sudden outbreaks of a disease, prevention of other risks related to the disease and the desire for herd immunity against an infectious agent push the need for vaccines.
The cost of mass manufacturing of a vaccine must be taken into consideration against the effectiveness of the programme. If the cost is high with poor immunity rates, the vaccine will not be brought to market.

Question 6

There are risks with vaccines. In most cases….

Answer 6

the recipient will develop a mild illness in response to the vaccine (fever, rash) and pain or swelling at the injection site. Sometimes, the vaccine fails to give a sufficient immune response and in very rare cases (1 in a million), anaphylaxis will occur due to excipient or antigen related to allergen.

Question 7

New vaccines

Answer 7

are required because of recent antibiotic resistance, the threat of new zoonotic pathogens, and because prophylaxis is better than a cure.