covid 19 public health emergency

covid 19 public health emergency

The Importance of Vaccination in Combating COVID-19

1. Introduction

In my opinion, it is a wrong decision to refuse vaccination. Refusing to get vaccinated will not resolve anything; instead, it can create worse scenarios. There are a few reasons given, such as the vaccine has no guarantee, the vaccine cannot stop the infection, there are so many side effects, etc. These reasons are just assumptions because they have never tried to get vaccinated. They do not have any proof or real experiences with getting vaccinated. This is the reason it is wrong. Listening to too many assumptions and not trying anything can create misunderstandings and misinterpretations. If they can try the vaccination, they will realize that the facts are different from what they thought before. The guarantees can be seen from others who have been vaccinated. Nowadays, there are so many people who have been vaccinated and they are safe. The scary and bad news happens when people are not vaccinated. They are the ones who get the sickness and, worst of all, death. This is a sole proof that vaccination is important. By not getting vaccinated, they cannot stop the infection and it will waste time and money. So, the best way to battle the COVID-19 infection is by getting vaccinated. In battle, there are many losses and victories. The side effects are also one of the losses in vaccinations, but it is just a common issue and nothing to be afraid of. The side effects are sometimes just light and can be cured immediately.

We have heard many stories about the coming of the disastrous pandemic of COVID-19 all around the world. Many countries are experiencing an increased number of cases and deaths. As citizens, we are also experiencing diverse impacts in our daily lives. The only weapon to battle COVID-19 is the vaccine. The vaccine is the only appropriate way to combat COVID-19 as it has been tested and proven safe in preventing the infection. With a touch of light, it can create a ray of change in the community by decreasing the number of cases step by step. However, it is very worrying when many people do not want to get vaccinated. There are many reasons stated for refusing the vaccination, but are all these reasons acceptable given the existing conditions nowadays?

2. Understanding the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

Strengths of this review are that it has emphasized the importance of considering adult and adolescent infections caused by vaccine-targeted pathogens, given the shift of incidence of these diseases to the adult population. A better effort has been made to connect childhood vaccines to adult and adolescent protection against infectious diseases through epidemiological evidence. This paper has also reviewed current challenges in implementing childhood vaccines to protect the adult population and possible future prospects for use.

This paper has shown that childhood vaccination can give prolonged protection against infectious diseases through the use of vaccine-induced antibodies and memory T-cells. It is clear from the epidemiological data that the incidence of disease caused by vaccine-targeted pathogens has dramatically decreased in countries where vaccine coverage rates are high. Post eradication of disease, healthcare resources are no longer tied up by vaccine-targeted infections, allowing them to be allocated to other healthcare needs. This in itself is of benefit to the entire population.

The purpose of this evidence synthesis is to examine the role of childhood vaccines in the prevention of adult and adolescent infectious diseases. We investigated the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of vaccines commonly targeted at children in protecting adults and children against diseases caused by vaccine-targeted pathogens, in addition to the possible use of childhood vaccines in controlling the spread of diseases in the adult population.

3. The Role of Vaccination in Controlling the Spread

Vaccination against Covid-19 has the potential to serve as a formidable tool in preventing the spread of the virus and eventually eradicating it. It is important to realize that the goal of vaccination is not, or at least not initially, to confer immunity to all. That is a longer-term goal. Rather, the primary goal of vaccination is to build a firewall of immune individuals who can prevent the virus from finding new hosts and replicating. This has been the historical pattern in that the only disease to have been eradicated, smallpox, was stamped out by the use of vaccination. In order to halt the spread of Covid-19, the world needs to aim to immunize at least 60-70% of the global population. To do this will require production of the vaccine to be ramped up on an unprecedented scale with probably at least 10 billion doses being required. But if this can be achieved, there is hope that Covid-19 could be halted in its tracks and gradually eradicated.

4. Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy and Misinformation

Vaccine hesitancy is a big challenge towards increasing the vaccine coverage rate. A study showed that public perceptions of vaccines are more negative. Meanwhile, a small proportion of people are more confident in getting the vaccine. According to the same study, vaccine-confident people have decreased. There are some who changed from vaccine accepting to vaccine hesitant and even refusing. The cause of vaccine hesitancy arises from factors like lack of vaccine confidence, risk-benefit calculation tilting towards not vaccinating, and lastly using religious or personal beliefs to rationalize not getting vaccinated. This phenomenon is more dangerous than the anti-vaccine movement itself, and the effects are huge. Although the anti-vaccine movement can influence vaccine-hesitant and refusing people, evidence of people who never had a strong opinion about vaccines transitioning to vaccine refusal will have further amplified the adverse effects. Steps should be taken to increase the belief of the general public in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing Covid-19. It may be difficult to change the minds of hardcore anti-vaxxers, but it is easier to convince people who are already vaccine hesitant. High certainty from the government, with evidence from multiple academic and expert sources, might counteract the misinformation and fake news that decrease public confidence in vaccines.

5. Conclusion: Embracing Vaccination for a Safer Future

Furthermore, the vaccines are safe and effective. Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were granted emergency use authorization by the FDA and have been shown to be safe by the CDC. The chances of severe allergic reaction exist, but they are incredibly low. Not taking the vaccine poses a larger risk, where there are no long-term studies to support how the COVID-19 would affect someone if they were to contract it a second time. Given the high efficacy of both of these vaccines, they offer a strong defense against the virus. The more people vaccinated, the less chance of there being spread to vulnerable populations, healthcare and frontline workers who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, and those who are not able to take the vaccine themselves.

In conclusion, it is clear that vaccination is the only viable option we have towards returning to a state of ‘normalcy’ from this seemingly perpetual viral nightmare. Not only does it play a role in righting the economy and getting individuals back to work, but it also provides a level of safety to those who are at high-risk and could potentially face severe complications from the virus. In the same way that smallpox was eradicated and polio was effectively eliminated from the Western Hemisphere, we too can eliminate COVID-19 from being a constant global health threat. But in order to achieve this, it is vital that we work together and encourage individuals to trust in the process and take the vaccine. Of course, returning to a lifestyle where masks are simply an accessory will take some time. But through aiming for herd immunity, and encouraging future generations to do the same, we provide hope and a better tomorrow in the face of potential viral outbreaks.