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Vaccines Don't Save Lives, Vaccination Does
Published in Norman Begg, The Remarkable Story of Vaccines, 2023
There are many reasons why people are hesitant about vaccines. Worries about side effects, overloading the immune system, ingredients in the vaccine, and religious beliefs provide ample reasons to delay or avoid vaccination. The world’s leading expert on vaccine hesitancy is Heidi Larson, an American anthropologist, based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She runs the Vaccine Confidence Project, which tracks why people hesitate to vaccinate, all over the world. It turns out that confidence in vaccines is lowest in Europe, with France at the bottom of the league table (although when push comes to shove, most French people have accepted the COVID-19 vaccine). In a brilliant TED Talk, she explains why vaccination is singled out for such a crisis in confidence. (A TED Talk is a fifteen-minute inspirational talk, which can be on any subject, with the slogan “ideas worth spreading”.) Most vaccination programmes are driven by governments and most vaccines are produced by multinational pharmaceutical companies. Both feature a long way down the list of whom people trust. The benefits of vaccination are usually championed by experts – paediatricians, infectious disease epidemiologists, mathematical modellers, who are remote, unrelatable figures. Bad science underpins the anti-vaccination movement, and social media provides a limitless platform for misinformation, which is exploited much more effectively by the antivaccine lobby than by the pro-vaccinators. And perhaps most importantly, vaccination is for everyone. A perfect scapegoat.
An Introduction to the Immune System and Vaccines
Published in Patricia G. Melloy, Viruses and Society, 2023
There are several ways to become immune to a particular pathogen. In the process of passive immunization, antibodies themselves can be passed from mother to child in breast milk, for example, or through direct introduction of antibodies to an ill patient. Passive immunization usually offers temporary protection against a pathogen. In active immunization, getting the disease itself or a vaccination can create a long-lasting immunity (Marshall et al. 2018; Coico and Sunshine 2015). Vaccination can also reduce the number of susceptible individuals in the population, reducing the ability of the pathogen to spread (four factors governing spread of a pathogen from Chapter 1). Therefore, vaccination can protect others in the population who cannot be vaccinated (Piot et al. 2019).
Immunization
Published in Julius P. Kreier, Infection, Resistance, and Immunity, 2022
Michael F. Para, Susan L. Koletar, Carter L. Diggs
Although vaccination is associated with some risk of adverse side effects, the benefits derived from immunization in most cases far outweigh the risks. Table 19.1 clearly illustrates the benefits. Some permanent disabilities or deaths have been attributed to vaccination. Although any undesirable effects are unfortunate, the decision to vaccinate is in most cases clearly the best choice for individuals at risk.
Molecular engineering tools for the development of vaccines against infectious diseases: current status and future directions
Published in Expert Review of Vaccines, 2023
Wenhui Xue, Tingting Li, Ying Gu, Shaowei Li, Ningshao Xia
Vaccination undoubtedly plays a crucial role in preventing numerous infectious diseases, with approximately 25 diseases being preventable through WHO-approved vaccines. However, the high costs associated with research and development often translate into expensive vaccine prices, impeding vaccination compliance, particularly in developing nations [189,190]. The decision to pursue vaccine development hinges upon multiple factors, including disease severity, public health impact, existing preventive strategies, and vaccine feasibility. In the case of mild or self-limiting diseases like the common cold, the expenses and resources required for vaccination render vaccine development a lower priority. Some pathogens already have effective interventions, such as antibiotics and antiviral drugs, which can effectively control and alleviate disease impacts, obviating the need for vaccine development. Additionally, certain pathogens can be adequately managed through improvements in sanitation and vector control. In contrast, developing vaccines for formidable pathogens like HIV remains scientifically challenging, necessitating advanced vaccine technologies to achieve effective prevention. To maximize benefits, a comprehensive approach that considers various prevention and treatment measures is essential for effective disease intervention.
Changes in vaccine administration trends across the life-course during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States: a claims database study
Published in Expert Review of Vaccines, 2023
Amanda L. Eiden, Anthony DiFranzo, Alexandra Bhatti, H. Echo Wang, Goran Bencina, Lixia Yao, Kunal Saxena, Ya-Ting Chen, Stephanie A. Kujawski
Many vaccinations require high coverage rates to maintain community (‘herd’) immunity [13,14]. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, US coverage levels with some of the routine vaccinations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) were below national targets, most notably for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among adolescents and for adult influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations [15–20]. During the US Department of Health and Human Services Healthy People 2020 health improvement initiative, the incidence of some vaccine-preventable diseases (including mumps and pertussis) increased compared to baseline, and there was little or no improvement in vaccination coverage with ≥4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP), Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), or pneumococcal vaccines among children 19–35 months of age; ≥2 doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) or ≥ 3 doses of polio vaccine among children in kindergarten; or pneumococcal vaccines among adults in long-term care [21]. Improving vaccination coverage among all age groups remains a major focus area of the updated Healthy People 2030 initiative [22].
Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome Following Adenovirus Vector-Based COVID-19 Vaccine (Covishield)
Published in Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, 2023
Abhilasha Baharani, Raja Rami Reddy
In January 2020, the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID)2 shared the whole genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2, resulting in rapid development of diagnostic tests and vaccines. In March 2020, the research-based global pharmaceutical industry made a commitment to develop safe and effective vaccines to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the high demand and need for rapid control of spread of the disease, vaccines were made available to the public through emergency authorizations and conditional approvals. According to the WHO, 13.06 billion vaccine doses have been administered by December 2022.1 There are 4 main types of COVID-19 vaccines, namely, whole virus (Sinopharm, Sinovac, Covaxin), protein subunit (Novavax/NVX-CoV2373, MVC-COV1901), viral vector (AZD1222/AstraZeneca, Ad26.COV2.S/Johnson Pharm/Covishield) and nucleic acid (RNA and DNA: BNT162b2/Pfizer-BioNTech, mRNA-1273/Moderna).3 The most common adverse effects following vaccination are headache, fever, chills, malaise and soreness at injection site.3 Since long-term clinical trials for safety of COVID-19 vaccines are unavailable, it is the responsibility of physicians to report unusual presentations following vaccination.