Introduction
Vaccination has the goal of protecting against a transmittable disease as a preventive measure. The effect of the vaccination is based on an immunization against a certain pathogen. For this purpose, the responsible pathogens are injected into the body so that it reacts and produces antibodies against the respective pathogen.
Sometimes this can lead to flu-like symptoms after a vaccination, which is a normal reaction of the body to the vaccination. If the body comes into contact with the respective pathogen again, the antibodies formed will fight it more efficiently. As a result, the disease is avoided or only occurs in a weakened form.
The Permanent Vaccination Commission (STIKO) of the Robert Koch Institute recommends which vaccinations, at what time or at what age are useful to protect against infectious diseases. These recommendations are updated at regular intervals. In principle, a distinction can be made between two types of vaccination (dead versus live vaccinations).
At the age of 6 weeks the first vaccination against rotavirus can be given. At 8 weeks, the first combination vaccination (six-times vaccine) against polio, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, Haemophilus influenza b and hepatitis B is recommended. From the age of 11 months, basic immunization against mumps, measles and rubella is carried out as a triple vaccination (MMR) or in combination with the vaccination against chickenpox as a quadruple vaccination (MMRW).
Furthermore, it is recommended to have the child vaccinated against pneumococcus at the age of 2 months and to have a vaccination against meningococcus C from the age of 12 months. Since there is no compulsory vaccination in Germany, parents are free to decide which vaccinations the child should receive. The above mentioned vaccinations are the most important ones for babies and toddlers and should definitely be given to avoid serious and life-threatening complications.
Care should also be taken to ensure that follow-up and booster vaccinations against the above mentioned diseases are followed. The Robert Koch Institute offers information material on the vaccinations, a vaccination calendar and recommendations on the respective vaccinations. In addition, the pediatrician is always available for consultation.
A clear advantage of vaccination is that babies and infants can build up immunity without suffering from the respective disease. The known childhood diseases such as measles, rubella and chickenpox could become dangerous for the children. For children with a chronic disease or weakened immune system, these can even be fatal.
The side effects and risks of a vaccination against these diseases are very low. Nowadays the vaccines are generally very well tolerated. Vaccination is not only beneficial for oneself, but also for the community or people who cannot be vaccinated.
These include, for example, babies who are still too young or people who suffer from a chronic disease. These groups of people are dependent on the vaccination protection of people in their environment. This is called herd immunity.
If enough people within the environment are vaccinated against a certain disease, this disease occurs with a very low risk or not at all. Thus, people who cannot be vaccinated are indirectly protected from the disease. It is important that as many people as possible are vaccinated in order to prevent the spread of certain infectious diseases in the population.
Although vaccinations have made it possible to eradicate infectious diseases in many parts of the world, they still exist in many countries. Travelers can bring these diseases into the country. Unvaccinated children and adults can then become infected with the disease.
A vaccination is the most effective and safest protection against the already mentioned childhood diseases, but also against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough and polio. The side effects or the risk of vaccination damage are extremely low compared to the sometimes life-threatening consequences of these infectious diseases. Occasionally, there may be a reaction to the vaccination in the form of redness and swelling at the injection site.
Sometimes fever also occurs. This reaction of the body to the vaccination is a normal process of the immune system and usually disappears within a few days.In very rare cases, severe reactions such as seizures or allergic shock may occur. Vaccination damage usually occurs years after vaccination and can lead to chronic illness or permanent damage.
These include diseases of the nerves, inflammation of the cornea, rheumatism or multiple sclerosis. However, these vaccination complications have occurred mainly in the past using vaccines that are no longer used today. This concerned, among other things, the vaccinations against smallpox and tuberculosis.
Numerous organizations deal with the complex of issues surrounding childhood vaccination, starting with public/governmental organizations such as the Standing Commission on Vaccination (STIKO), the federal and state ministries of health, or medical organizations such as the state medical associations. All of these organizations are positive about the recommended vaccinations. On the other hand, when researching on the Internet, one also comes across some vaccination-critical organisations that create a very negative image of vaccination and therefore advise against the implementation of the vaccinations recommended by the STIKO.
What do you think of their arguments?
- As an example, vaccination as a prophylaxis is called a fraud, because the connection between microbes and the allegedly triggered disease would not exist. For example, it is argued that Robert Koch’s experiments on tuberculosis would be fakedFirst it should be pointed out that Robert Koch transferred the pathogens of tuberculosis to guinea pigs by means of a tissue transplant as early as 1881.
These guinea pigs fell ill with the form of tuberculosis already known and described in humans. Another example of the connection between the presence of a pathogen and the triggering of a disease is gastritis. Its occurrence could be induced in experiments of the 80s by the application of Helicobacter pylori and cured by a special antibiotic therapy.
- It should first be noted that Robert Koch transferred the pathogens causing tuberculosis to guinea pigs by means of a tissue transplant as early as 1881.
These guinea pigs fell ill with the form of tuberculosis already known and described in humans.
- Another example of the connection between the presence of a pathogen and the triggering of a disease is gastritis. Its occurrence could be induced in experiments of the 80s by the application of Helicobacter pylori and cured by a special antibiotic therapy.
- It should first be noted that Robert Koch transferred the pathogens causing tuberculosis to guinea pigs by means of a tissue transplant as early as 1881. These guinea pigs fell ill with the form of tuberculosis already known and described in humans.
- Another example of the connection between the presence of a pathogen and the triggering of a disease is gastritis.
Its occurrence could be induced in experiments of the 80s by the application of Helicobacter pylori and cured by a special antibiotic therapy.
- The “disease-causing viruses” such as the smallpox, polio, hepatitis, measles, mumps or rubella viruses could not be seen or their existence could not be proven until now. One could therefore assume that these were merely invented to conceal vaccination and medication damage. In the context of laboratory medical analyses, it is no longer a problem to make viruses visible by means of electron microscopy and thus to prove their existence.
Only this technology has made it possible to analyze the typical characteristics of the viruses more precisely.
- In the context of laboratory medical analyses, it is no longer a problem to make viruses visible by means of electron microscopy and thus to prove their existence. Only this technology has made it possible to analyze the typical characteristics of the viruses more precisely.
- It is repeatedly criticized that approval studies for new vaccines are not conducted as so-called randomized double-blind studies; this would mean that an experimental group would be compared with a control group of non-vaccinated persons.This is considered unethical as it exposes unvaccinated individuals to an unnecessary risk of infection with a potentially dangerous disease and deprives them of a potentially protective substance. This is not acceptable due to Western values and morals.
However, this form of study was exceptionally used in the 2015 Ebola vaccine trial developed in Canada. The researchers compared the infection rate of the vaccinated individuals with groups of participants who had received a different Ebola vaccine or a placebo. The rate of new infections was significantly lower in the experimental group.
- This is considered unethical as it exposes unvaccinated individuals to an unnecessary risk of infection with a potentially dangerous disease and deprives them of a potentially protective substance.
This is not acceptable due to Western values and morals.
- However, this form of study was exceptionally used in the context of the Ebola vaccine developed in Canada to test a vaccine against Ebola in 2015. The researchers compared the infection rate of the vaccinated individuals with groups of participants who had received a different Ebola vaccine or a placebo. The rate of new infections was significantly lower in the experimental group.
- In the context of laboratory medical analyses, it is no longer a problem to make viruses visible by means of electron microscopy and thus to prove their existence.
Only this technology has made it possible to analyze the typical characteristics of the viruses more precisely.
- This is considered unethical as it exposes unvaccinated individuals to an unnecessary risk of infection with a potentially dangerous disease and deprives them of a potentially protective substance. This is not acceptable due to Western values and morals.
- However, this form of study was exceptionally used in the context of the Ebola vaccine developed in Canada to test a vaccine against Ebola in 2015. The researchers compared the infection rate of the vaccinated individuals with groups of participants who had received a different Ebola vaccine or a placebo. The rate of new infections was significantly lower in the experimental group.
