What is the importance of getting vaccinated?

Immunization programs are essential to prevent pandemics
COVID-19 pandemic reduces number of children receiving routine immunizations
Continued development of vaccines against emerging diseases
References
References

Immunization programs save about 4 to 5 million people from needless deaths each year. In 1796, Edward Jenner invented the world’s first vaccine, the smallpox vaccine, and by 1980, the World Health Assembly declared smallpox eradicated from the world.

Vaccines not only have the power to protect people from disease and death, they can prevent epidemics and pandemics and prevent far-reaching and multifaceted adverse effects. Ultimately, we can eradicate disease from the world, protect future generations, and make the world a safer and healthier place.

Immunization programs are essential to prevent pandemics

Polio, tetanus, influenza, hepatitis A and B, rubella, Hib, measles, meningitis, mumps, and whooping cough were once life-altering and sometimes fatal diseases that swept through the population.whooping cough), rotavirus, chicken poxdiphtheria, and pneumococcal diseases are largely under control thanks to vaccination.

Successful immunization programs around the world have made these once common diseases all but forgotten. However, new infections are appearing all the time. In 2007, the WHO warned that infectious diseases were emerging at an unprecedented rate. Since the 1970s, about 40 new infectious diseases have been discovered, including bird flu, chikungunya, Ebola, SARS, MERS, swine flu, Zika and most recently Covid-19.

Many factors contribute to the emergence of new infections and the resurgence of established infections. Some are due to natural processes, others to human activity.

The modern world is hyper-connected as travel has never been more accessible. Moreover, rapid urbanization has led to more and more people living in densely populated areas. As a result, emerging infectious diseases can rapidly spread through the population, causing global epidemics and even pandemics. Since 1,200 BC, there have been about 249 pandemics until his COVID-19 pandemic today.

Immunization programs are essential to control the spread of these emerging diseases so that potential epidemics and pandemics can be prevented. Vaccines have the potential to save millions of lives and protect the social and economic status quo.

Without a vaccine, infectious diseases can spread rapidly through populations, causing illness and even death, straining healthcare systems and straining economies. In addition, illness often affects people of lower socioeconomic status more adversely. So without the ability of vaccine programs to control infectious diseases, social disparities may become more pronounced.

COVID-19 pandemic reduces number of children receiving routine immunizations

The COVID-19 pandemic is straining healthcare systems around the world. The surge in cases and the number of people in need of hospital beds has delayed regular medical care. As a result, millions of children did not receive routine immunizations.

In 2021 alone, more than 25 million children will not receive routine immunizations, and new data from WHO reveals that pre-pandemic vaccination coverage levels have yet to be met. There is therefore an urgent need to improve routine immunization deployments. This will ensure that unvaccinated children are protected and prevent future epidemics and pandemics.

Continued development of vaccines against emerging diseases