Every year thousands of individuals become seriously ill and require hospitalization because of diseases that vaccines can help prevent. Many face long-term health complications or succumb to the symptoms of these diseases. Germs are all around us, and protecting our bodies from developing a serious illness goes beyond self-preservation. Vaccines are important. Here’s why.
The Soldiers, the Officers, and the Generals of Immune Response
When a pathogen (virus, bacterium, parasite, or fungus) enters the body, the immune system sends antibodies to fight it off. Whether you get sick or not depends on how effective they are and your immune system’s strength. If sickness occurs, the immune system targets a specific part of the pathogen that shows how to eradicate it. These instructions help to create a type of super antibody specifically trained to kill a pathogen. Lastly, another antibody group is created to remain in the body with the playbook of instructions for any potential future encounters with that particular disease.
Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery
Immunity after infection is tricky because you have to get sick first. When the disease has a high mortality rate or the person has pre-existing conditions that increase the risk for severe infection, gaining immunity naturally is a gamble. Vaccines mimic the body’s natural process by using weakened or inactive parts of the pathogen. Other vaccines only contain the kill instructions and don’t use parts of the virus. Each type is designed to trigger our immune response without having to get sick.
Vaccines Save Lives and so Much More
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a painful reminder of how widespread sickness and loss of life strain the economy, healthcare, national funding, and more. Thanks to clinical research, available vaccines distributed over the last year and a half have made normalcy a reality again.
Bottom line, vaccines are essential because they save lives and:
- Protect us from spreading an illness to our loved ones and others.
- Reduce the likelihood of an outbreak from preventable diseases.
- Help protect individuals who are medically unable or too young to receive immunizations.
- They are very effective in preventing severe disease.
- The safest way to protect your health, so you don’t have to miss work or time with your loved ones.
RSV season is upon us. Respiratory syncytial virus is a common illness that causes cold-like symptoms that can be serious in infants and older adults. ActivMed Practices & Research is looking for individuals to join RSV vaccine studies at our Beverly, MA, Methuen, MA, and Portsmouth, NH locations.
To learn more about how you can get involved in our RSV or other vaccine studies, click here for contact information to your local office and their active studies.
Sources:
https://ftp.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/top-20-questions-about-vaccination
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/reasons-to-vaccinate.html