Do you think vaccination is harmful?
Do you refuse to give your child a vaccine?
Do you still remember the vaccine you received when you were a child?
Measles, rubella, mumps, tuberculosis, hepatitis B… Do you think it is really lucky to survive now that rumors of vaccines are flying everywhere? In addition to this, do you have other misunderstandings about vaccines in what? How many of those rumors about vaccines are wrong?
Rumors do not just come from gossip.
In 1998, the international well-known medical journal < < Lancet > > published an article entitled < < ileal lymph node hyperplasia, non-specific colitis and generalized developmental disorder > >. The author of the article believed that the injection of measles-rubella-mumps triple vaccine (MMR) would cause some chronic intestinal infection, thus affecting children’s brain development and causing autism.
After the article was published, it caused quite a stir. Many parents refused to let their children receive MMR vaccine or delayed the injection. The vaccination rate dropped and the related epidemic occurred.
Scientists will naturally question the results. Since then, more than 20 studies have been conducted in different regions, repeating tests on vaccination and autism. Facts have proved that vaccines do not cause autism at all. In February 2010, the paper, which caused great influence, was finally withdrawn.
Where else does distrust of vaccines come from?
In China, measles, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and other vaccines caused by adverse consequences reports emerge one after another, resulting in many people, especially parents are unwilling to let their children vaccinated. On the one hand, they feel that the vaccine is ineffective, on the other hand, they are afraid of adverse reactions after vaccination.
There are also some people who are lucky enough to think that if all the people around me are vaccinated, there will be no viruses and bacteria around me.
In theory, this is possible, but it can only be effective when at least 90-95% of the people around are completely immune. Besides, everyone has such lucky psychology.
So, is infectious disease far away from you?
Last winter, an outbreak of measles broke out in a building in Beijing. In just a few days, Beijing reported 23 measles cases, involving adults. This summer, the United States also had measles deaths, the first confirmed measles death in the United States in nearly 12 years.
It is normal for people to feel confused or panicked about the resurgence of measles: the United States announced as early as 15 years ago that measles had been eliminated, and China has also set a target of eliminating measles in 2012. Each of us was vaccinated against measles when we were young.
Why does measles come back? Is the vaccine no longer effective?
Don’t panic, the vaccine has a very good preventive effect.
However, in the past, routine immunization was not completely covered in some places, resulting in some adults not being vaccinated now. In addition, measles is very infectious, which leads to the outbreak of measles.
Therefore, as many people as possible must be immunized in order to achieve the effect of [group immunization]. At present, some parts of China still cannot achieve such a high vaccination rate, which has led to measles not being completely eliminated.
Which of these rumors about vaccines did you believe?
People have mixed opinions on vaccines, everywhere. In the United States, there is a popular saying among many parents: “We don’t talk about vaccines, just as we don’t talk about politics, because our positions are different.”
In response to some rumors about vaccines, the International Health Organization has specifically refuted them:
Rumor 1: As long as personal and environmental hygiene is improved, infectious diseases will not occur, so vaccination is not necessary.
Fact: Improving personal and environmental hygiene can only reduce the risk of some infectious diseases, because many infectious diseases can still spread under very clean conditions. Without vaccination, infectious diseases such as polio and measles will soon return.
Rumor 2: A certain disease has almost been eliminated in our country, so there is no need to vaccinate against the disease.
Fact: Today, international communication is very easy, and bacteria and viruses are also easy to travel across countries. Therefore, although some diseases have almost disappeared in many countries, if vaccination is terminated as a result, if foreign pathogens invade, there will be serious consequences.
For example, since 2005, measles outbreaks have occurred many times in some Western European countries, and all the people recruited are people who have not been vaccinated against measles.
Rumor 3: Immunization obtained by contracting certain diseases is better than vaccination.
Fact: First of all, vaccination with qualified vaccines will not lead to the occurrence of the disease, nor will the vaccinated people be exposed to the potential threat of the disease; Secondly, the immune protection obtained by vaccination is similar to that obtained by infectious diseases.
However, getting protection from infection comes at a high price. In this case, the body does acquire immunity, but the price is too high: when one injection can solve the problem, why do you have to get protection from illness?
Rumor 4: Children injected with multiple vaccines at a time will overburden the immune system and increase the risk of side effects.
Fact: Scientific research shows that simultaneous vaccination of several vaccines will not have adverse effects on children’s immune system.
Children may be exposed to hundreds of foreign bodies every day, as large as food and drinks and as small as pollen and dust-all of which can induce immune responses. A child is exposed to far more kinds of pathogens due to the common cold than several vaccines.
Vaccination with multiple vaccines at one time can save manpower, material resources, time and money, and if vaccinated with a combination vaccine, such as measles-rubella-mumps vaccine, it can also reduce the number of injections.
Do you know when you cannot be vaccinated?
Although there are so many rumors, one thing is true: if you get the vaccine when you shouldn’t get it, you may die.
Only by vaccinating the right vaccine at the right time can the best immune effect be obtained. There is no denying that vaccination sometimes has side effects, which is also the biggest reason why people are unwilling to vaccinate.
Therefore, in order to prevent serious side effects, it is necessary to understand the taboos of vaccination before injecting vaccine:
- Premature delivery, dystocia, fever or acute stage of common diseases, suspension of vaccination, need to be replanted after the disease recovers; Immune dysfunction, severe allergic constitution, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are under way, vaccination is prohibited, vaccination may cause abnormal reactions, and even endanger life; There are many kinds of vaccines and different taboos, so you need to consult your doctor in detail about the taboos of this vaccine before vaccination.
Take BCG as an example:
Babies born prematurely, with low birth weight (birth weight less than 2,500 grams) or dystocia should be carefully vaccinated.
Babies suffering from fever, diarrhea and serious skin diseases should be suspended from vaccination.
Vaccination is prohibited for babies with tuberculosis, acute infectious diseases, heart and kidney diseases and immune insufficiency.
Side effects have occurred, how to do?
It is normal to have slight side effects after vaccination.
Although the vaccine is inactivated or attenuated, it still has antigenicity, which is recognized by the human body and activates the immune system. The side effects of the vaccine are brought about by the activation of the immune system. As long as indications are followed, the vast majority of healthy people will not have any side effects after vaccination, and even if short-term side effects occur, they do not need to panic too much.
Normal vaccine side effects, including the following manifestations:
- Local reactions: mild swelling and pain; Systemic reactions: fever (generally below 38.5 ℃ for 1-2 days), diarrhea, rash and general discomfort.
No matter the local or systemic normal reaction generally does not need special treatment, drink more water and pay attention to rest.
However, if the following abnormal vaccine reactions occur, you need to see a doctor immediately!
- Local infection; Aseptic abscess; Hysteria; Angioneurotic edema; Anaphylactic shock; Other serious reactions.
Will there be a feeling of imperial determination in such a summary?
Vaccines, like all drugs, have side effects. Whether to vaccinate or not is a process of weighing the pros and cons.
For example, if the baby does not receive measles-mumps-rubella combined vaccine (MMR), once the baby has mumps, the probability of complication encephalitis is 1/300.
In contrast, the probability of encephalitis due to the side effects of vaccines is less than one in a million-you can judge for yourself.
Vaccines protect not only themselves, but also their families and friends. Therefore, vaccination should be actively carried out.
However, before vaccination, we must clearly understand the precautions for vaccination, or consult a doctor in detail, so as not to let vaccines that should have a protective effect become harmful.