Rospotrebnadzor spoke about childhood vaccinations / Society news of Krasnoyarsk and the Krasnoyarsk Territory / Newslab.Ru

The Krasnoyarsk Rospotrebnadzor responded to the main fears of parents about childhood vaccinations and dispelled the most popular myths about vaccination.

Experts note that vaccinations are not an experiment on a child, but a scientifically based protection against serious diseases and complications.

Myth 1: Vaccinations overload children's immunity. Truth: This is not true, vaccinations train the immune system; under gentle conditions, they help develop antibodies to potentially dangerous infections. “With the first breath, the baby encounters tens of thousands of unfamiliar antigens, and with the first sip of milk – the same number. In response, the newborn’s body begins to produce interferons, but they are still not enough for full protection, because their level reaches its maximum only in adolescence. Maternal antibodies do not last long in the baby, so every infection is a serious test for the baby’s fragile immune system,” the department said.

Myth 2: It is better to start vaccination when the child is one year old. Truth: The first year of life is the most vulnerable period. Whooping cough, hepatitis B, measles, meningitis, Haemophilus influenzae, and pneumococcal infection are especially dangerous for infants. Experts say that waiting a year means leaving the baby unprotected from a real threat, so the main vaccinations occur in the first year of life in order to protect them as early as possible. Further revaccination may be required to maintain the protective effect.

Myth 3: Too many vaccinations, and several at the same time. Truth: A vaccine against several infections at once eliminates unnecessary injections and trips to the clinic; studies confirm that the simultaneous administration of several vaccines does not harm the immune system. The national calendar includes preventive vaccinations against 12 dangerous infections, which in the recent past led to severe complications and claimed lives. From 5 more: tick-borne encephalitis, rotavirus and meningococcal infections, chickenpox, hepatitis A – according to epidemiological indications or at the request of the parents.

Myth 4: Vaccines have many side effects. Truth: Yes, sometimes there may be redness and slight tenderness at the injection site. Fever, a feeling of weakness, a slight runny nose, cough, and sore throat are considered a normal reaction to the administration of the vaccine, which triggers the process of developing immunity. Allergic reactions are much less common than is commonly thought. That is why, before each vaccination, there is a mandatory examination by a doctor who will assess the child’s condition and choose the optimal time for vaccination.

Myth 5: It is better to get sick than to get vaccinated. “Truth: This is the most dangerous misconception! Past infection = unpredictable consequences. Yes, there will be immunity, but at what cost? Measles, for example, before the advent of vaccination, was very common among children, causing severe complications and often leading to death. In addition, due to the high effectiveness of the vaccine, specific drugs for measles have not been developed. Vaccination works differently: a small dose of a weakened or killed pathogen is injected. It is not capable of causing a disease, but it will train the immune system to recognize a foreign agent, destroy it and remember it, so that in the future, during a real meeting, it can instantly be recognized and neutralized,” said Rospotrebnadzor, noting that vaccination saved millions of people and gave humanity an additional 25 years of life.

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