Getting vaccinated is incredibly important. Vaccines work because the entire population has them. They are what’s known as a swarm process. The disease is unable to return because so many people are immunized to it.
There has been a lot of debate and misinformation floating around about vaccines and vaccinations. The truth is that they are crucial to public health and will continue to do so moving forward. Without vaccines, we would risk the return of deadly and crippling diseases that have long been wiped out of the public conscience.
Common Vaccines
HPV Vaccine
HPV refers to the Human Papilloma Virus. HPV is responsible for both oral and genital herpes. The thing about HPV is that it’s actually made up of many different types of the virus. HPV-1 and HPV-2 are responsible for herpes and are quite common. HPV vaccines don’t actually vaccinate against these two types. However, there is actually many more types of the virus. Vaccines do protect against some of the HPV out there. This is good because in addition to herpes, they can cause types of cancer like cervical cancer.
Shingles Vaccine
While some vaccinations are completed as a child, many are intended only for people of an advanced age. One of these is the shingles vaccine. It is only intended for people over the age of 60. Now, vaccinations at this age can have complications and the shingles vaccine is no different.
There are many conditions that people can already have that will discourage getting the vaccine. People with HIV/Aids or are receiving drugs for an auto-immune disorder really shouldn’t get the vaccination. This also accounts to many people who have certain cancers.
HIB Vaccine
The HIB vaccine is one of the vaccinations intended for young children. It’s a combination vaccine that prevents a specific bacteria from damaging the child. This is commonly referred to as the meningitis shot, but also covers some types of pneumonia and epiglottitis
The HIB vaccine is not one that is completed with a single shot. To complete this vaccination will take between 3 and 4 visits. All of the visits should be wrapped up before the child is 15 months old.
DTAP Vaccine
The DTAP vaccine is another vaccine that helps protect children from multiple diseases. Like many vaccines it protects against a specific bacteria which can lead to some or all of them. In this case the DTAP vaccine is intended to stop tetanus, whooping cough and more.
Like many vaccines intended for small children, it will need a booster immunization later on in life. Typically they should occur between the ages of 10 and 12 to protect through the teen years and further.
MMR Vaccine
The MMR vaccine is one of the most commonly known and most effect vaccinations that is received. The MMR protects against three diseases. The first is measles. Measles epidemics in the past were deadly affairs. The second disease is Mumps. While Mumps didn’t result in death as often as measles, it could still cause brain and spinal damage. Finally, the last disease as rubella. The main complications from contacting rubella affected women. These were especially during pregnancy when rubella would often cause birth defects or a miscarriage to the unlucky woman.