Eli-Ukende
Member
- Sep 13, 2021
- 8
- 6
It is another good day that God has granted us. Coming back from work today and boom! I meet my baby brother Elijah who is a form one student in one of the best secondary school in our town. Right after greetings he says he wants to understand about immunization and vaccination because he has a morning talk to give during the school assembly next Monday. Oh then! I hesitate not and our conversations go as follows;
Elijah; Dada I am glad you have come back home early today.
Dada; Oh! Why? Tell me, what’s up?
Elijah; Next Monday I will be giving a morning talk during school assembly and after a deep thought I have decided to go with Immunization and vaccination.
Dada; And what is the force behind this topic?
Elijah; Because everyone talks about it in the school and specifically about COVID 19 vaccine. Each one gives his or her own speculations. So I want to share with them correct information and expand my understanding too.
Dada; OK! That’s good! You ask me whatever you want to know and I will answer you. Just note everything down because it’s important to get it into your head.
source;https://medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/fullsize/24383.jpg
Elijah; As always Dada. Let’s begin. What is immunization?
Dada; Immunization is the action of making a person or animal immune to infection, typically by inoculation. And immune is being resistant to a particular infection or toxin owing to the presence of specific antibodies or sensitized white blood cells
Elijah; oh OK! Before I go the next question, tell me more about antibodies.
Dada; These are blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. And antigen is a toxin or other foreign substance which induces an immune response in the body, especially antibodies. Do not worry you will understand
Elijah; Now what is vaccination?
Dada; Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop protection from a disease. And when we speak of a vaccine, it is a substance to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases, a prepared from the causative agent of a disease, it’s products, or a synthetic substitute, treated to act as an antigen without inducing the disease.
Elijah; Now I get it. So If I say vaccination brings immunity, then am I correct?
Dada; Yeah sure! Vaccination is the act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease. While immunization is a process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination
Elijah; wow, I now have a light. So let’s take COVID 19 vaccine as our key example here. I real want to know more.
Dada; You see; the problem is that you only hear about COVID 19 vaccine because it is a pandemic erupted during this time but there are other vaccines too.
Elijah; Really now! You mean that?
Dada; Of course they are. And you have taken them too when you were a baby. There is the most known BCG which prevents tuberculosis. Its long form is Bacillus Calmette Guerin. This is a name of the vaccine’s inventors. But I will use COVID19 vaccine as you have said my dear.
Elijah; This is even more interested than I thought.
Dada; So the COVID 19 vaccine produce protection against the disease, as a result of developing an immune system as I have explained to you, to the respective virus. Developing immunity system through vaccination means there is a reduced risk of developing the illness and its consequences. This immunity helps you fight the virus if exposed.
Elijah; Are there no side effects from being shot by it?
Dada; Well from what I have studied, it has been reported there are side effects which mostly have been mild to moderate and short-lasting. They include; fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, diarrhea, and pain at the injection site.
Elijah; Oh! I get goosebumps when I hear pain at the injection site Dada!
Dada; Hehehe!
Elijah; Well how did come to know about all this concerning COVID 19 vaccine?
Dada; well, I read. I follow every update in the WHO website every single day.
Elijah; WHO is the World Health Organization, right?
Dada; yeah sure! So you are also intelligent, hah! Congratulations.
Elijah; So if I want to take a shot of COVID 19 vaccine?
Dada; That easy! You simply go to one of the centers allocated for COVID 19 vaccination, every important detail will be provided to you, you take your shot, you are given your document which shows you have been vaccinated, you go back home and eat your ugali.
Elijah; And where the rest of the vaccine being provided as you have told one of them, what was it again?
Dada; BCG.
Elijah; Yes! That’s it
Dada; Since these are being given since birth, you can now visit any public or private health facilities where there is reproductive and child health services, and inquire about vaccination room, you will be directed to the respective room and health officer and you will have you shot, you go home.
Elijah; So what other vaccine do you know the disease they prevent?
Dada; PK! Give your pen and notebook I draw a table for you which shows examples of vaccine and disease they prevent. Well, they are so much more.
Elijah; wow! So I have a lot to share with my friends next Monday.
Dada; yeah sure!
Elijah; But what could happen if we could not have all these vaccines?
Dada; Imagine a world without vaccines now. What do you see?
Elijah; Oh no I think it would be hell.
Dada; ok let me tell you something. If no vaccines, I would be terrified. As an expert, I’d be working overtime because the consequence would be needlessly from preventable diseases. One of the things that vaccines make possible is eradication of diseases. So far we have eradicated one human disease, smallpox and we are really close with polio. Polio is on its knees now that we have corned it in just a couple of final populations in the world. That’s only possible through the use of vaccines and requires everybody to use them for the whole world to benefit. Imagine the social environment in which those kinds of diseases are running rampant, where people are afraid to be in contact with other people, where parents hold children back from playing with other children. The thing we take for granted is that the protection of vaccines allows that kind of freedom of interacting with people that the terror and living in fear of vaccine-preventable diseases would take away from them.
source; https://www.unicef.org/sites/default/files/styles/hero_mobile/public/UN0287582_0.jpg?itok=305cf2vc
Elijah; So I could not go to play soccer with my friends?
Dada; of course!
Elijah; I think this is enough for today. I have learnt a lot and I am going to share all of this with teachers and student during school assembly on Monday morning. Thank you so much!
Elijah; Thank you so much Dada!
Dada; Always welcome dear!.
Elijah; Let me no go join my friends for football this evening thanks to vaccines!
Dada; Have fun then!.
Elijah; Dada I am glad you have come back home early today.
Dada; Oh! Why? Tell me, what’s up?
Elijah; Next Monday I will be giving a morning talk during school assembly and after a deep thought I have decided to go with Immunization and vaccination.
Dada; And what is the force behind this topic?
Elijah; Because everyone talks about it in the school and specifically about COVID 19 vaccine. Each one gives his or her own speculations. So I want to share with them correct information and expand my understanding too.
Dada; OK! That’s good! You ask me whatever you want to know and I will answer you. Just note everything down because it’s important to get it into your head.
source;https://medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/fullsize/24383.jpg
Elijah; As always Dada. Let’s begin. What is immunization?
Dada; Immunization is the action of making a person or animal immune to infection, typically by inoculation. And immune is being resistant to a particular infection or toxin owing to the presence of specific antibodies or sensitized white blood cells
Elijah; oh OK! Before I go the next question, tell me more about antibodies.
Dada; These are blood protein produced in response to and counteracting a specific antigen. And antigen is a toxin or other foreign substance which induces an immune response in the body, especially antibodies. Do not worry you will understand
Elijah; Now what is vaccination?
Dada; Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop protection from a disease. And when we speak of a vaccine, it is a substance to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against one or several diseases, a prepared from the causative agent of a disease, it’s products, or a synthetic substitute, treated to act as an antigen without inducing the disease.
Elijah; Now I get it. So If I say vaccination brings immunity, then am I correct?
Dada; Yeah sure! Vaccination is the act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease. While immunization is a process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination
Elijah; wow, I now have a light. So let’s take COVID 19 vaccine as our key example here. I real want to know more.
Dada; You see; the problem is that you only hear about COVID 19 vaccine because it is a pandemic erupted during this time but there are other vaccines too.
Elijah; Really now! You mean that?
Dada; Of course they are. And you have taken them too when you were a baby. There is the most known BCG which prevents tuberculosis. Its long form is Bacillus Calmette Guerin. This is a name of the vaccine’s inventors. But I will use COVID19 vaccine as you have said my dear.
Elijah; This is even more interested than I thought.
Dada; So the COVID 19 vaccine produce protection against the disease, as a result of developing an immune system as I have explained to you, to the respective virus. Developing immunity system through vaccination means there is a reduced risk of developing the illness and its consequences. This immunity helps you fight the virus if exposed.
Elijah; Are there no side effects from being shot by it?
Dada; Well from what I have studied, it has been reported there are side effects which mostly have been mild to moderate and short-lasting. They include; fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, diarrhea, and pain at the injection site.
Elijah; Oh! I get goosebumps when I hear pain at the injection site Dada!
Dada; Hehehe!
Elijah; Well how did come to know about all this concerning COVID 19 vaccine?
Dada; well, I read. I follow every update in the WHO website every single day.
Elijah; WHO is the World Health Organization, right?
Dada; yeah sure! So you are also intelligent, hah! Congratulations.
Elijah; So if I want to take a shot of COVID 19 vaccine?
Dada; That easy! You simply go to one of the centers allocated for COVID 19 vaccination, every important detail will be provided to you, you take your shot, you are given your document which shows you have been vaccinated, you go back home and eat your ugali.
Elijah; And where the rest of the vaccine being provided as you have told one of them, what was it again?
Dada; BCG.
Elijah; Yes! That’s it
Dada; Since these are being given since birth, you can now visit any public or private health facilities where there is reproductive and child health services, and inquire about vaccination room, you will be directed to the respective room and health officer and you will have you shot, you go home.
Elijah; So what other vaccine do you know the disease they prevent?
Dada; PK! Give your pen and notebook I draw a table for you which shows examples of vaccine and disease they prevent. Well, they are so much more.
| VACCINE | DISEASE |
| BCG | Tuberculosis |
| Hep B | Hepatitis B |
| Polio | Poliovirus |
| DTP | Diphtheria, Tetanus. Pertussis |
| Rotavirus | Rotavirus |
| Covax | COVID 19 |
| Yellow fever vaccine | Yellow fever |
Elijah; wow! So I have a lot to share with my friends next Monday.
Dada; yeah sure!
Elijah; But what could happen if we could not have all these vaccines?
Dada; Imagine a world without vaccines now. What do you see?
Elijah; Oh no I think it would be hell.
Dada; ok let me tell you something. If no vaccines, I would be terrified. As an expert, I’d be working overtime because the consequence would be needlessly from preventable diseases. One of the things that vaccines make possible is eradication of diseases. So far we have eradicated one human disease, smallpox and we are really close with polio. Polio is on its knees now that we have corned it in just a couple of final populations in the world. That’s only possible through the use of vaccines and requires everybody to use them for the whole world to benefit. Imagine the social environment in which those kinds of diseases are running rampant, where people are afraid to be in contact with other people, where parents hold children back from playing with other children. The thing we take for granted is that the protection of vaccines allows that kind of freedom of interacting with people that the terror and living in fear of vaccine-preventable diseases would take away from them.
source; https://www.unicef.org/sites/default/files/styles/hero_mobile/public/UN0287582_0.jpg?itok=305cf2vc
Elijah; So I could not go to play soccer with my friends?
Dada; of course!
Elijah; I think this is enough for today. I have learnt a lot and I am going to share all of this with teachers and student during school assembly on Monday morning. Thank you so much!
Elijah; Thank you so much Dada!
Dada; Always welcome dear!.
Elijah; Let me no go join my friends for football this evening thanks to vaccines!
Dada; Have fun then!.
