Vaccines

Taking a break from strictly podiatric topics for a change, today we’d like to discuss healthcare. To be more specific: vaccinations. Recently it seems that vaccinating children has become more of an option for the parents than previously in history. However, people might not understand that this decision for their children is putting other kids at risk at the same time- from fatal diseases that have almost been non-existent for decades! The late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel invited real doctors to make a Public Service Announcement about vaccines, which is both informative and funny!

Vaccines

Vaccines work by giving a non-living version of the disease virus to the child to help stimulate immune cells, which help fight the specific disease that is being vaccinated for. This non-living version of the disease will be attacked immediately by your child’s immune system without the high risk of contracting the disease. Over time there will be anti-bodies that your child will develop naturally against this certain virus, so in the future if there is any exposure your child immune system will be prepped and properly equipped to fight off the disease.

How can unvaccinated kids effect vaccinated kids?

Simply put by the center of disease control, “most routine childhood vaccines are effective for 85% to 95% of recipients. For reasons related to the individual, some will not develop immunity.” This can explain for unvaccinated children increasing the risk of disease for everyone. If unvaccinated kids contract a certain disease and are exposing a large population of vaccinated children, of course the unvaccinated kids will contract the disease along with 5-15% of the vaccinated population! It could only take one unvaccinated child to infect groups of vaccinated children.

Please help keep our kids safe, whether in schools, hospitals, amusement parks or even our 3 waiting rooms at any of our offices located in Frederick and Urbana, MD.

Click here for the Jimmy Kimmel clip!

By Alvin Bannerjee