Page 104 - South Mississippi Living - April, 2025

HEALTHY LIVING
Shielding Against SICKNESS
The Power of Vaccines
story by Nickie Harris-Ray
Immunizations have always been a hot topic. From rumors that they can cause anything from behavioral disorders to growth retardation, the uncertainty of whether vaccines are necessary has always been a debate.
Some younger generations may not relate to the eradication of diseases such as polio and, therefore, do not feel that life will be altered in any way without vaccinations. However, very recently, the almost non-heard-of measles has reemerged at a recent high, even resulting in the death of a child in February 2025. Now, more people are listening – perhaps the new spotlight should be used to educate, not point fingers.
Vaccines help the body learn how to defend itself from disease without the dangers of a full-blown infection. Vaccines work by imitating an infection – the presence of
a disease-causing organism – to engage the body’s natural defenses. According to the Centers for Disease Control,
the active ingredient in vaccines is an antigen, the name
for any substance that causes the immune system to begin producing antibodies. Antibodies are proteins in white blood cells that identify and get rid of foreign substances. They
are sent throughout the body, ready to multiply and attack
microbes and substances that don’t belong in the body. After eliminating an infection, their numbers go down until only a few are left to keep watch. At that point, a person is considered immunized.
The immune response to a vaccine might cause tiredness and discomfort for a day or two, but the resulting protection can last a lifetime. Because immunity can take weeks to develop after vaccination, it is possible to become infected in the weeks immediately following vaccination.
To be immune is to be partially or fully resistant to a specific infectious disease or disease-causing organism. An immune person can resist the bacteria or viruses that cause a disease, but the protection is never perfect. There are different types of immunity. There are also various schedules for different vaccines for multiple populations, like children vs. adults or immunocompromised patients.
The decision to get vaccinated, of course, is a personal choice. But now, with the reemergence of measles in the non- vaccinated population, it is the perfect time to get educated on how vaccines work and which ones can help you lead a more healthful life.
104 | April 2025
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