The Immune System - Vaccination (GCSE Biology)
Vaccination
Science of Vaccination
How Does Vaccination Work?
- Vaccination aims to create memory cells. A vaccination basically injects an inactive form of a pathogen into the body. This will activate an immune response and antibody production, which means that memory cells are made. This protects the individual incase the real pathogen enters the blood again.
- Vaccinations use inactive or dead pathogens. Obviously we do not want to infect the individual using a vaccination, otherwise they could get a disease. So instead we give a dead, weakened or inactivated pathogen, which still has the same antigens as the normal pathogen (needed to activate the immune response) but is harmless.
- Vaccines enable the immune response to occur quickly. Data shows that vaccinations can allow the body to rapidly eliminate a live infection for the first time within seven days, with the peak of the immune response occurring within the first three days.
Vaccination in Healthcare
Herd Immunity
- Mass vaccination contributes to herd immunity. When the majority of a population is vaccinated against a pathogen, it breaks the pathogen’s chain of infection hence, vaccination prevents the spread of disease. This means that the virus essentially disappears because it is unable to pass from person to person. Therefore members of the population, such as infants, who have not received vaccinations, are protected against the pathogen. This concept is called herd immunity.
- Vaccinations are often given early in life. We vaccinate against diseases which a person has not encountered before (and therefore the person won’t have memory cells). It is important to give vaccination early in life before the person gets the disease.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Vaccination Programmes
Vaccination is a process where a person is given a weakened or dead form of a virus or bacteria, to help the body build immunity against the disease caused by that pathogen.
When a person is vaccinated, their immune system is exposed to a weakened or dead form of a virus or bacteria. This exposure triggers the immune system to produce antibodies against the pathogen. If the person is later exposed to the actual pathogen, their immune system will recognize it and quickly produce the antibodies needed to fight the infection.
Vaccines are important because they can help protect against serious and potentially deadly diseases. By getting vaccinated, you can help protect yourself and others, especially those who are unable to get vaccinated for medical reasons. Vaccination also helps prevent the spread of disease in the community, which is known as herd immunity.
Yes, vaccines are safe. They go through extensive testing and clinical trials to ensure their safety before they are approved for use. Serious side effects from vaccines are rare and most side effects are mild and temporary, such as pain and swelling at the injection site.
Some common vaccines include the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, the diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Your doctor can provide a recommended schedule of vaccines based on your age, health status, and other factors.
It is always better to get vaccinated. Getting sick from a disease can lead to serious complications, including hospitalization and death. In contrast, getting vaccinated has very few risks and can provide long-lasting protection against the disease.
Yes, it is safe to get multiple vaccines at once. The immune system is able to handle multiple vaccinations at once and respond to each vaccine in a similar way as if they were given separately. Additionally, getting multiple vaccines at once can help protect against multiple diseases and save time on future doctor visits.
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