The Importance Of Immunization: Myths About Bakuna, Debunked

As parents, we always want what’s best for our kids. And according to experts, our children should receive vaccines. But some myths about immunization still abound, and they might negatively influence our perception of childhood vaccination. So, in this article, we’ll discuss the importance of immunization and debunk the long-standing myths about it.

Vaccines save lives

Before we dispel the misconceptions about vaccines, let’s first highlight their importance: they save lives.

When a child receives a vaccine, they not only get immunity against a particular disease, but they also gain protection from the potential complications of that disease.

Case in point: how important is it for a baby to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine? Hepatitis B, a viral infection, affects the liver. But if it causes significant damage, a person may become more at risk of developing liver cancer. With the vaccine, your child gains immunity.

And here’s an important point: immunization is not expensive. The Department of Health (DOH) ensures that mothers and children have access to recommended vaccines through the Expanded Program on Immunization.

Under this program, you can bring your child to the nearest health center, where they can receive available free shots.

Myths about vaccinations, debunked

Sometimes, no matter how evident the importance of immunization is, parents still worry because some misconceptions persist.

Myth 1: Babies are too young to receive vaccines; it’s best to wait until they are older.

Basing your child’s immunization schedule on this misconception is dangerous. You see, the diseases that vaccines prevent, such as diphtheria, whooping cough, and measles, are most prevalent and fatal in babies.

Furthermore, please note that your baby’s immune system is stronger than you think. According to experts, even if you give multiple vaccines at once, the baby’s immunity will not be overwhelmed.

Delaying the bakuna due to the fear that babies can’t handle them increases the time by which your child is vulnerable to serious diseases.

Myth 2: Vaccines are unsafe. They might even cause autism and SIDS.

Hearing that your child may die or develop autism once they get vaccinated might scare you away from the idea of bakuna.

But, please remember: vaccines are safe. In fact, they are tested thoroughly, numerous times, over the course of many years, to ensure that they will not cause any harm. There may be vaccine reactions, like redness and swelling on the injection site and fever, but they are generally safe and side effects are temporary.

Scientists still do not know what causes autism and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Moreover, they see no link between these conditions and vaccines. The authorities even removed the study that initially linked MMR vaccine to autism from the record because of procedural errors.

Myth 3: Natural immunity is better than the protection offered by vaccines.

In some cases, natural immunity, which you obtain by actually getting the disease, could be stronger. However, seeing how things unfold after your child gets the disease is risky at best and fatal at worst.

You see, once your child gets measles, there’s a 1 in 500 chance that he or she will die due to the symptoms. In comparison, there’s only 1 in a million chance that a child is allergic to the MMR vaccine.

The bottom line is when it comes to vaccines, the importance of immunization outweighs the risks.

Myth 4: Vaccines can trigger the disease they are supposed to prevent.

And finally, some parents worry that vaccines introduce bacteria and viruses in their babies, resulting in diseases that the vaccines are supposed to prevent.

According to experts, this scenario is extremely unlikely; most vaccines contain inactivated and dead organisms, which means they can no longer cause the disease. What happens is that the vaccine mimics the illness and triggers our immune response.

The one case where a vaccine caused an actual disease was from the oral polio vaccine (OPV).

According to the World Health Organization, it happens when the excreted vaccine-virus circulates for an extended period, mutates, and causes paralysis. However, the WHO emphasizes that these instances are rare and often only occur in a highly unimmunized populations.

If you’re worried about it, you can talk to the doctor about getting the inactivated polio vaccine rather than the OPV.

Key Takeaways

Vaccines or bakuna can protect your child from long-term conditions and save your child’s life. If you have concerns about its effects, the best thing to do is to talk to your child’s doctor.

Learn more about Childhood Vaccination here.

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