Vaccination is a way of protecting children and adults against serious disease. Once children have been vaccinated against certain diseases, their bodies will produce cells known as antibodies which will fight off the bacteria or viruses causing those diseases, if they come into contact with them.
Good hygiene, sanitation, clean water, and nutrition are not enough for stopping infectious diseases. If we don’t keep a good level of immunisation in the population, known as “herd immunity”, the diseases prevented by vaccination will return. If people are not vaccinated, diseases that have become uncommon such as pertussis (whooping cough), polio and measles, will quickly reappear.
Vaccines are safe. Any licensed vaccine is rigorously tested before it is approved for use, and regularly reassessed once it is on the market. Scientists are also constantly monitoring information from several sources for any sign that a vaccine may cause an adverse event.
It is far more likely to be seriously injured by a vaccine-preventable disease than by a vaccine. For example, in the case of polio, the disease can cause paralysis, measles can cause encephalitis and blindness, and can even result in death. Vaccines work by producing antibodies just like the natural infection would but without the complications or the serious consequences of that infection.
Although vaccine-preventable diseases have become uncommon in many countries, the germs that cause them continue to circulate in some parts of the world. With easy and fast travel nowadays, they can cross geographical borders and infect anyone who is not protected.
In Europe, for example, measles outbreaks are occurring in unvaccinated populations in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Tajikistan and the United Kingdom. The United States has also reported outbreaks of measles in several states.
Malta still enjoys a good response to vaccination schedules
For the last 18 years or so there have been controversial elements regarding a potential link between MMR vaccine and autism. The 1998 study which had originally raised these concerns was later found to be seriously flawed and fraudulent. The paper was subsequently retracted by the journal that published it.
Unfortunately, the damage was already done and it set off a panic that led to parents refusing to vaccinate their children against MMR.
This led to the present day outbreaks of measles in various countries and a significant rise in deaths from measles reported in these countries. There is no evidence of a link between MMR vaccine and autism or autistic disorders.
In Malta, vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus and polio is obligatory by law. Furthermore, according to Maltese law, all girls must be vaccinated against rubella by the time they are 14 years old.
The diphtheria, tetanus and polio vaccines are found combined with pertussis (whooping cough) and Haemophilus B meningitis, in one vaccine commonly known as the “5-in-1”, or the “6-in-1” if it also contains the Hepatitis B antigen. Rubella is combined with measles and mumps in the MMR vaccine.
Other commonly used vaccinations are against: hepatitis A and B; Varicella (Chicken Pox); Pneumococcus; Meningococcus C; Meningococcus A,C,W and Y; Meningococcus B; Rotavirus (diarrhoea); seasonal Influenza; and human papilloma virus (HPV).
The Maltese National Immunisation Schedule contains the basic vaccinations, which are recommended for all children. The service offers all vaccines listed on the national immunisation schedule free of charge from all health centres. Vaccines which are not on the national schedule are given by doctors in the private sector.
Changes and additions are made to the schedule from time to time as advised by the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Policy and approved by the Superintendent of Health and the Health Ministry.
Malta still enjoys a good response to vaccination schedules by Maltese parents and reported vaccine uptake rates for the different vaccines on the schedule vary between 95 and 99 per cent. However, we must remain vigilant to keep these rates high in order to prevent the diseases from emerging again.
Two key reasons to get vaccinated are to protect ourselves and to protect those around us. Successful vaccination programmes depend on the cooperation of every individual to ensure the well-being of all.
Here are some useful telephone numbers where one can ask for advice or discuss any problems there may be regarding immunisations in general.
National Immunisation Service Floriana – 2568 0299.
Primary Child Health Service – 2568 0244/5.
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Directorate (Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Unit) – 2132 4086.
Victoria Farrugia Sant’Angelo is national immunisation programme manager and chair, Advisory Committee on Immunisation Policy.