Importance of Preventive Vaccines: Children, Adults and Elderly
In 2014, India achieved a historic milestone—it was declared polio-free, putting an end to a crippling disease that once paralyzed thousands of children every year. Just a few decades earlier, smallpox—a deadly viral disease—was wiped out globally, thanks to aggressive immunization efforts.
Preventive vaccines are the cornerstone of a healthy society. Their function is simple—build a herd community and prevent fatalities. But there’s more to the benefits of vaccination. In this blog, we will explore why vaccines are essential.
What Happens When You Get Vaccination Shots?
During vaccination, an inactive virus strain is injected into the child’s body to familiarize the immune system with the unknown ‘enemy’. Since the strain is dormant, there is no chance of infection, but once the body knows the ‘enemy’, it can better prepare to launch a counterattack. Therefore, vaccines are immunity boosters. It helps children improve their body’s fight against different types of bacteria and viruses. In fact, the importance of childhood vaccines is so profound that if skipped, they can lay the foundation for critical health illnesses in adult life.
Importance Of Preventive Vaccines: Across All Age Groups
Each stage of life brings its own health challenges, and preventive vaccines are tailored to address them. For children, vaccines lay the foundation of a strong immune system. In women and men, especially during adulthood, they act as shields against emerging infections and chronic complications. For the elderly, they become critical in preventing life-threatening diseases as immunity weakens with age. From infancy to old age, vaccination is a lifelong investment in health, helping individuals stay protected while contributing to a disease-free community.
Why are vaccines essential for children?
Immunity building is intense work that starts with breastfeeding. However, the mother’s milk is not enough to offer comprehensive protection to children. The following is a list of vaccines that can help double down on diseases and prevent severe illness in adulthood.
- BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) – Protects against tuberculosis (TB), which can affect the lungs, bones, and brain.
- Hepatitis B Vaccine – Prevents hepatitis B, a viral infection that damages the liver and can lead to liver cancer.
- Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) & Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) – Protects against poliovirus, which can cause paralysis.
- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine – Prevents:
- Measles – causes rashes, fever, and complications like pneumonia.
- Mumps – leads to swollen glands, fever, and meningitis.
- Rubella (German Measles) – can cause birth defects if a pregnant woman gets infected.
- Varicella Vaccine – Protects against chickenpox, which causes rashes, fever, and complications like pneumonia.
- Typhoid Vaccine – Prevents typhoid fever, a bacterial infection that spreads through contaminated food and water.
- Hepatitis A Vaccine – Prevents hepatitis A, which affects the liver and spreads through contaminated food or water.
- Benefits of Vaccination for Adults
Preventive vaccines also ensure the health and safety of adults. Men and women should be more vigilant about vaccination and its importance after they reach midlife. Midlife is a crucial stage because it invites the possibility of the onset of high blood pressure, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. In such scenarios, vaccination becomes a precautionary step.
- HPV Vaccine – Recommended for both men and women as a precautionary step to guard against HPV-related cancers like cervical cancer in women and certain throat, penile and anal cancers in men.
- Influenza vaccine – Protects pregnant women and can shield both genders from complications like pneumonia.
- Pneumococcal Vaccine – Offers protection to women and men who are diagnosed with diabetes, lung disease, or weak immunity.
- Tetanus and Diphtheria booster – Adults should schedule these every 10 years.
For women, the Hepatitis B Vaccine is essential during pregnancy to prevent transmission of the strains to the baby. Rubella is also essential since it can prevent birth defects. For Men, the Hepatitis A and B vaccines offer prevention against hepatitis infection, which can lead to liver cirrhosis and cancer.
- Importance of Preventive Vaccines for the Elderly (Above 60 Years)
- Influenza Vaccine (Annual Shot) – Protects against seasonal flu, which can cause severe complications in older adults.
- Pneumococcal Vaccine (PCV & PPSV23) – Prevents pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections.
- Shingles (Herpes Zoster) Vaccine – Protects against shingles, a painful rash that occurs due to reactivation of the chickenpox virus.
- Tdap/Td Vaccine (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) – Needed every 10 years to prevent severe respiratory infections.
- Hepatitis A & B Vaccines – Protects the liver from viral infections that may lead to liver failure.
- COVID-19 Vaccine & Boosters – Essential for preventing severe COVID-19 complications.
Vaccination not only protects individuals but also contributes to herd immunity, building stronger and healthier communities. Consult healthcare professionals about recommended vaccinations for yourself and your loved ones and encourage others to do the same.