The measles vaccine has divided the country into two: some who support the vaccination, others who are against it. The problem is that the measles epidemic in Romania started in February 2016 and has killed, so far, 59 people, according to the National Institute of Public Health in Romania.
Thirty-three of the deceased children were less than a year old. Seventeen children were between 1 and 3 years old, and five children were between 4 and 17 years old. Measles also killed four adults between the ages of 27 and 39.
Vaccines protect you from deadly diseases
Deadly diseases can be prevented safely and easily by vaccination. If the population is not vaccinated, diseases such as polio or measles reappear, which had become increasingly rare.
Worldwide, before the introduction of the measles vaccine, over 90% of the population contracted the disease by the age of 10.
Measles can often have serious consequences for children who survive the disease, sometimes for life.
Doctors warn that high standards of hygiene and rigorous cleaning do not prevent the spread of deadly diseases. Vaccination is the only proven method that provides adequate protection.
What is a vaccine and how does it work?
The vaccine is a biological preparation that contains killed or attenuated microorganisms, or fragments thereof. Following the administration of the vaccine, an immune (defense) response occurs, which protects us against the disease caused by pathogenic microorganisms.
Vaccination and the term vaccine were introduced by Edward Jenner, an English physician who, in 1796, performed the first smallpox immunization.
Today, vaccination saves more than three million lives a year worldwide, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates. When vaccination coverage is high, the number of people contracting the disease decreases considerably. In the absence of vaccination or when vaccine coverage falls below 90%, disease recurrence and epidemic manifestations are likely.
One of the most important results of vaccination was the eradication of smallpox. The last case of smallpox was reported in Somalia in 1977, according to the WHO, leading to the cessation of smallpox vaccination. For other diseases, the WHO aims to eradicate (polio, measles), and if this goal is achieved in these diseases, vaccination will stop.
Vaccines are safer and more effective than the vast majority of medicinal products, and their production is extremely closely controlled.
Although rare, vaccination contraindications should be followed according to medical instructions.
Measles vaccine, the only method of prevention
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a vaccination coverage rate of at least 95%. In Romania, it is 81%, much too low to be able to ensure adequate protection, say UNICEF representatives. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are needed to protect the population against the current epidemic and to prevent future epidemics.
The measles vaccine is safe
The MMR (measles – mumps – rubella) vaccine has been in use for about 45 years, and to date, more than 500 million doses have been given in more than 100 countries around the world.
Between 2000 and 2015, the measles vaccination prevented approximately 20.3 million deaths, proof that vaccination is one of the most effective investments in public health globally.
Diseases that can be prevented by vaccination are serious and can lead to severe health complications and even death.
What is measles
Measles is a infectious disease that often leads to complications. Of four people who get measles, one needs hospitalization, and the vaccine is an effective way to protect children from the disease. In 1980, before widespread vaccination, measles caused approximately 2.6 million deaths worldwide. Due to vaccination, the number has dropped more than 20 times in 2012.
Measles is a contagious infectious disease whose symptoms usually appear 10-12 days after contact with the virus and which, at first, can be confused with a common cold (runny nose, cough, low fever). As the disease progresses, the temperature rises and a rash with red spots appears on the body that persists for 4-7 days. Measles often leads to complications that can affect almost any organ (pneumonia, encephalitis, etc.), can trigger severe diarrhea, dehydration, even vision loss.
It is very important to know that only vaccination can protect the child against this disease and its complications. Two doses of measles vaccine protect him / her almost 100% against the disease. Follow the diagram below to understand how vaccines work!
There are countless discussions today about vaccination. Beware of the following FALSE rumors:
In conclusion, the vaccine is the safest way to protect your child from the infectious disease that has started to make victims again among children: measles.
–
