Vaccination has played a very important role in protecting and preserving population health for centuries, since the invention of the smallpox vaccine in the 1700s. Admittedly, some study of diseases and therapies around the world historically have been influenced by unethical behaviors of some in the healthcare industry. We all must be vigilant in achieving global health ethically, with the best intentions, and as inclusively as we can. One way to do this is by promoting health literacy and empowering patient consumers to be informed and speak up about their needs and experiences.
How vaccines work. The concept of vaccination is based on the practice of variolation, which is purposely taking infected material off a diseased person, or a person who has become immune by variolation, and applying it to another person to eliminate or reduce the negative risks associated with developing that disease. There is evidence of this practice in many cultures including China, India, parts of Africa and the Middle East as early as the 1500s, prior to introduction of the practice to the Western world. Last year, we covered drug development in the United States. Today, there are many types of vaccines available around the world; how they’re classified depends on how they combat diseases in the body, as explained by the Vaccine Knowledge Project. Some vaccines provide a semi-permanent immune response, while others require “boosters,” or additional doses periodically to help keep risk reduced (for example the annual flu shot or the dTAP vaccine, administered every 10 years to combat diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis).
Over 2 billion people globally have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. National regulatory authorities around the globe have granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for twenty-four COVID-19 vaccines; 6 of these have received full approval by at least one WHO recognized regulatory authority. An EUA allows for vaccine administration during public health emergencies where there are no other options for treatment available. The WHO updates the status of vaccines in use and in development, by country. Over 4.5 million people have died from Covid-19, with over half of deaths occurring in the Americas; CARPHA, the Caribbean Public Health Agency, is administering a survey to understand attitudes towards the Covid 19 vaccines in that region.
Partnering with your healthcare provider. Vaccines are meant to circumvent potentially devastating effects of disease on the body, including death. When making health decisions about receiving vaccines or any medical treatment, determine what is most important for you to feel comfortable enough to proceed, and ask questions! How is it made? How long did it take to develop? Are there any long-term effects? Should I change anything about my diet or lifestyle when I take it? How will my taking this treatment impact my community? If you hear something you don’t like, ask questions about the long-term impact of your condition left untreated. Decisions about how we care for our own bodies and our community should be thoughtful, informed, and respected.
