The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a disruption in childhood wellness checkups and vaccinations. The World Health Organization reported that 23 million children missed out on basic vaccines in 2020 worldwide, and Blue Cross Blue Shield estimates about 9 million doses may have been missed in the US alone.
The billions of vaccine doses safely administered in the US for decades have saved countless lives and generations from several dangerous and deadly diseases, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID).
Immunizations, also referred to as vaccinations, are the greatest defense we have against deadly viruses. From smallpox to polio, those often-fatal diseases were virtually eliminated, and some made extinct due to vaccinations. Yet because vaccines have been so effective at removing threats, it’s sometimes easy to forget and difficult to appreciate how significant they have been to the public.
“Humans are very bad at measuring risk. If we don’t see a lot of people dying from something we don’t think it’s a big deal or something to take seriously. Vaccines have saved countless lives, and we owe it to one another to keep, not only the people around us safe, but also future generations,” says Dr. Sonal Chandratre, Regional Medical Director and Pediatric Endocrinologist at Aspirus Stevens Point Hospital.
The NFID gives five reasons to get vaccinated and stay current with immunizations.
- 1.) Vaccine-preventable diseases have not gone away. The viruses and bacteria that cause illness and death still exist and can be passed on to those who are not protected by vaccines. While many diseases are not common in the US, global travel makes it easy for diseases to spread.
- 2.) Vaccines keep people healthy. When vaccines are skipped, it leaves individuals vulnerable to illnesses such as shingles, pneumococcal disease, flu, and HPV and hepatitis B, both leading causes of cancer.
- 3.) Vaccinations mean the difference between life and death. Vaccine-preventable infections can be deadly. Every year in the US, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 50,000 adults died from vaccine-preventable diseases.
- 4.) Vaccines are safe. The US has a robust approval process to ensure that all licensed vaccines are safe. Potential side effects associated with vaccines are uncommon and much less severe than the diseases they prevent.
- 5.) Young and healthy people can get very sick too. Infants and older adults are at increased risk for serious infections and complications, but vaccine-preventable diseases can strike anyone. For those that are young and healthy, getting vaccinated can help those stay that way.
National World Immunization Week (April 24-30) aims to highlight the collective action needed for everyone all around the world to use vaccines to protect people of all ages against diseases.
For more information about vaccine-preventable diseases and how you can protect yourself and your loved ones, visit www.nfid.org and talk to your primary to make sure you’re up-to-date with all current vaccinations.