Immunization: Worldwide Protection - LPNI

Over two millennia ago in ancient China, someone noticed that people who recovered from certain diseases never became re-infected.   Acting on this finding, they tried to prevent disease by inoculating themselves with a bit of infected matter.  That idea bumbled through history until Edward Jenner, in 1796, used a cowpox blister to inoculate a young boy against smallpox.  The boy did not get smallpox, and the idea of vaccines grew.  In the late 19th century, Louis Pasteur developed vaccines against anthrax and rabies.  In the 20th century, vaccines were developed for over a dozen more diseases, including polio, measles and tetanus.  Research and discovery continue, improving known vaccines and developing new ones.

Today, children and adults of all ages can be protected against such diseases as measles, mumps, rubella, polio, hepatitis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, chicken pox, shingles, influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, meningococcal meningitis, yellow fever and more, by administering weakened or dead virus to make antibodies to stimulate immunity.  This works when the body’s immune cells, called macrophages, digest most of the injected material but keep a portion, called antigens, to create memory of it in the immune system.  Antigens combine with white blood cells, the lymphocytes, to trigger the desired immune response when exposed to the disease.  With some vaccines, a single dose produces desired immunity; with others, multiple doses or boosters are required.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed the Global Vaccine Action Plan ( GVAP) with a goal for better access to vaccines globally by 2020.  WHO recommends that 95 per cent of the world’s population be vaccinated in order to eradicate a disease or minimize occurrence.  Smallpox has been eradicated, saving an estimated 5 million lives annually.  Cases of polio have dropped 99 per cent since 1998; deaths from measles have declined 84 per cent and seven more diseases are under control due to aggressive vaccination programs around the world.  Each country has specific laws, guidelines and programs for enforcement.  More of the world’s children than ever before, about 87 per cent,  are now being immunized, saving more than 250 million people from disability or death from measles, polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and others.  Adult vaccinations, especially for the frail and elderly, and for traveling to certain countries, are also mandated or recommended.

While vaccines have a high rate of success in protecting against disease and promoting wellness, they are not perfect. There are failures and there are risks.  Some people have allergies to vaccine contents; others have conditions preventing the use of certain vaccines.  Even with worldwide protection, people die.  But we know the One who gives the ultimate worldwide protection against the disease of sin and final death.  We, as Christians and Parish Nurses, along with promoting physical wellness, have a perfect opportunity to share and promote God’s life saving, unfailing, perfect love.  In John 3:16 Jesus reminds us: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him, should not parish but have eternal life”.  Jesus teaches us how to love as he loves us, through his perfect life, death, resurrection, his forgiveness and ongoing patience with us. 1 John, 4:19 states: “We love because he first loved us”.  May we continue, wherever we are in this world, to show God’s love as he has shown us and share the life-giving good news of Jesus wherever we have the opportunity!

Dottie Simon RN, Parish Nurse Rep

Texas District LCMS Health Ministry/Parish Nursing,  Dotsimon03@yahoo.com