Vaccines play a crucial role in maintaining public health and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Here are some key reasons why vaccines are important:
Supporting Global Health: Vaccines are essential in controlling and eradicating diseases worldwide. They are a key component of global health security and help prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Preventing Disease: Vaccines help protect against serious diseases like measles, polio, influenza, and hepatitis. By stimulating the immune system to create antibodies, vaccines prepare the body to fight off infections without causing the disease itself.
Saving Lives: Immunization prevents millions of deaths each year. For example, vaccines currently prevent 3.5 to 5 million deaths annually from diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, influenza, and measles.
Protecting Vulnerable Populations: Some individuals, such as newborns, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems, cannot receive certain vaccines. When the majority of the population is vaccinated, it provides herd immunity, reducing the spread of disease and protecting those who are most vulnerable.
Reducing Healthcare Costs: Preventing disease through vaccination reduces the need for medical treatments, hospitalizations, and long-term care, leading to significant healthcare cost savings
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