One of the biggest benefits of immunisation is that it protects you and your family against contagious, vaccine-preventable diseases. Thanks to the successes of vaccine campaigns that have been running since the 1960s, significantly fewer children die from these diseases every year. In addition to protecting the people you hold closest, vaccinations also protect your wider community, as well as future generations to come.
At Super Health Chatswood Medical Centre we encourage a proactive approach to health and offer our patients immunisations for Mumps, Tetanus, Polio, Diphtheria, Measles, Hepatitis B, Whooping cough, Rubella, Influenza.
How Do Vaccines Work?
Vaccines work by triggering your immune system to fight off diseases. This is done so that when your body comes into contact with the disease, your immune system is prepared and can react accordingly. It may protect you from developing the disease, or you may contract a milder form of it.
Are Vaccines Safe?
Vaccines are subject to a continuous process of research and developmental testing. They are also evaluated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration before they can be registered for use in the public domain. A vaccine can take as long as a decade to pass through all the relevant check points and clinical trials.
The vaccine usually contains a weakened form of the disease, which stimulates the body to produce new antibodies to protect you against it. Some vaccines are administered by injection, and others are taken orally. Immunisations that make use of virus proteins that have been grown in other substances (like eggs) undergo more testing. This is to monitor them for allergic reactions. Some vaccines’ egg content is low enough that they can be administered to people who have egg allergies.
What Are The Benefits Of Immunisation?
Immunisations allow:
Protection of yourself and your family
By staying up to date with your immunisation schedule, you can protect yourself and your family against contagious diseases that may be very harmful to your health.
Babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to contagious diseases, as are elderly people and people who are immune-deficient.
Protect your community
In addition to providing your own family with health benefits, being immunised protects the people around you against disease. This is very important because there are members of the community who cannot vaccinate, and thus rely on herd immunity for protection.
Eliminate harmful diseases
When high levels of vaccination are maintained, it can be possible to eliminate a disease. To date Australia has eradicated rubella and measles thanks to the success of the National Immunisation Program.
Receive your family benefits
In line with the No Jab, No Pay Bill, you do need to ensure your children are vaccinated if you want to continue to receive Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate.
Free catch up vaccines are available
Young people aged 19 and younger have access to free catch-up vaccines in the event that they have missed any. This enables families that might be behind on their vaccination schedules to be eligible for their family payments.
Vaccination Side Effects – What To Expect
While they are statistically present, adverse vaccination side effects are quite rare. When they do occur they are also quite mild and typically clear up on their own after a few days. Click here to find out more about the specific side effects of the vaccine-preventable diseases.
In all cases, the side effects of developing the disease are far more severe than those of the vaccine. The benefits of immunisation outweigh the side effects that could be experienced.
To find out more about the benefits of immunisation, or to get up to date with your immunisation schedule please contact us for an appointment: (02) 9159 6903
