National Children's Vaccination Day

The National Children's Vaccination Day fell on April 25 with this year's theme being "Get Vaccination, Enjoy A Healthy Life".

 

Vaccination is the most effective means of preventing and controlling infectious diseases. As for children, parents are the guardians of their health and everyone should get vaccinated.

 

 

Vaccination not only protects individual health, but also blocks the spread of infectious diseases among the population, making it the most effective means of preventing and controlling infectious diseases. 

 

In 1974, the World Health Organization established the Expanded Immunization Programme project. It expands the coverage of immunization so that every child can receive free vaccines after birth and also focuses on the variety of free vaccines. With the global expansion of immunization programs, more children are being spared from death or physical disabilities caused by infectious disease. Statistics show that immunization can prevent 2-3 million deaths from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and measles annually. If global vaccination coverage increases, another 1.5 million lives can be saved.

 

China has effectively controlled the incidence of infectious diseases targeted by vaccines through vaccination and the implementation of the national immunization plan.

 

Since 1995, there have been no cases of domestic wild poliomyelitis (polio) virus in China caused by oral polio syrup. In 2000, the Western Pacific region including China was confirmed as polio-free. Since then, China has been poliomyelitis-free, enabling thousands of children to avoid physical disabilities.

 

 

The Healthy China Initiative has shifted its focus from "treating diseases as the center" to "putting people's health as a priority". For individuals, health protection throughout the entire life cycle begins with the first dose of vaccine. But vaccines are not exclusive to children and there are corresponding vaccines available for people at all ages, meaning that vaccines play an important role in people's overall health throughout the entire life cycle.

 

The senior citizens, especially those with underlying diseases, have a higher risk of developing severe comorbidities after contracting influenza and pneumonia. For the above-mentioned diseases, corresponding vaccines can be used to prevent them. And suitable populations can also choose to receive vaccines that could prevent diseases such as influenza and cervical cancer. 

 

While emphasizing vaccination for children, adults are also encouraged to get vaccinated, which could protect their own health and the health of the entire family and better promote the construction of a healthy China.

 

 

It is undeniable that the public is still unfamiliar with the knowledge of vaccination and there are many cognitive misunderstandings. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify some common misconceptions.

One is about the necessity of receiving non-immunization program vaccines. Although non-immunization vaccination is self funded and voluntary, it is also a protection for children's health. Inoculating such vaccines is a supplement to planned immunization vaccines, which can provide children with better protection, prevent more diseases and improve their ability to resist diseases.

The second is about adverse reactions after vaccination. The safety requirements and standards for vaccines are extremely high. Some people may experience adverse reactions after vaccination due to their own reasons or vaccine characteristics, but the reactions, such as fever, local redness and swelling, and pain, are usually mild.

 

The third is the issue on whether vaccination increases the burden on children's immune system or not. Many studies have shown that administering multiple vaccines simultaneously according to prescribed procedures will not cause adverse reactions to children's immune system. A child's daily exposure to microbial antigens far exceeds the types and quantities of antigens vaccinated. Inoculating several vaccines or a combination of vaccines at once not only does not increase the burden on the immune system of young children, but sometimes stimulates immune effects due to the synergistic effect of antigens.