Vaccinations
What are vaccinations?
Vaccinations are the most important tools in the fight against infectious diseases. The principle of vaccinations lays in the introduction of a vaccine into the organism, which in turn creates protective antibodies. Those protect the human organism against microorganisms which in an unvaccinated person will cause illness. The vaccine itself cannot infect the human being because it contains only dead or weakened microorganisms or only their parts.
The importance of vaccinations:
Vaccinations held prevent the rise or spread of many infectious diseases, and even though we today might take them for granted, they constitute one of the most significant discoveries in the field of medicine. Thanks to vaccinations small pox have been eradicated, in a number of countries polio and tetanus have disappeared. Nevertheless, each year at least 2 million children die, who could have been saved through vaccinations. Without vaccinations, the mortality numbers would be significantly higher. Each year, an additional 2,7 million children would die of measles, 1,2 million more would get neo-natal tetanus, 1 million children would die of pertussis and 100 000 of diphtheria, 800 000 would be paralyzed by polio.
The Czech Republic has a long history of vaccination programs which have been very successful. In the beginning of the 60s, infectious polio was eradicated. In the first half of the 80s, it was possible to conclude vaccinations against small pocks. Small children in the Czech Republic do not get tetanus nor diphtheria, pertussis occur only exceptionally and mumps are very rare. Hardly any pediatrician today encounters measles and mumps in his/her office, because these diseases children are routinely vaccinated against.
Why are children vaccinated at a certain age according to a vaccination schedule?
The age at which children are vaccinated against a certain disease as well as the dosage is given by the actual ability of a child’s immune system to create antibodies. The ability of the immune system to create antibodies changes during childhood. Thus, newborns can be inoculated against tuberculosis but the vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis are postponed until the third month and are given in three subsequent dosages. Some vaccinations can be combined, with others, certain intervals have to be adhered to. The repeated application of some vaccinations is necessary to build up the needed amount of antibodies in the blood.
The vaccination certificate
The vaccination certificate is an important document which serves as evidence of the diseases that the child has been vaccinated against. The pediatrician notes in the certificate all data concerning the vaccination, the date, the type, the name and the batch number. The certificate thus contains information about which disease the child is protected against, how long ago the vaccination took place and if a re-vaccination may be required. Parents should keep their children’s vaccination certificate at a safe place, so that it will be available when required.
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