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The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly limited access to medical consultations, and thus the treatment of many chronic diseases. The reason for resigning from scheduled surgeries and visits to specialists was very often the fear of coronavirus infection. Even today, most of us seem to forget that caring for health is not only necessary vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2. Other infectious diseases that can and should be protected against by vaccines are also a threat.
- In the era of a pandemic, we focus primarily on vaccination against COVID-19
- Meanwhile, other infectious diseases remain a threat
- Too few adult Poles are vaccinated against pneumococcus and whooping cough
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage.
Vaccinations for adults against pneumococci and whooping cough is bad
Vaccinations for adults are just as important as vaccinations for children. In the case of many infectious diseases, unimmune adults are more exposed to diseases and complications than children. Adults are 100 times more likely to die from a vaccine-preventable disease than children.
What’s more, the changes associated with the aging of the immune system make the body more susceptible to diseases such as pneumococcal infections and the flu over time. For some diseases, such as whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria, together acquired immunity from childhood immunization declines over time, so booster doses are indicated.
While in the group of children the situation with vaccinations is not the worst, in the group of adolescents and adults it is bad, especially when it comes to vaccinations against pneumococci and whooping cough – diseases that can cause very serious complications.
– Whooping cough is today called a relapsing disease – says prof. Aneta Nitsch-Osuch, epidemiologist, public health specialist from the Department of Social Medicine and Public Health of the Medical University of Warsaw.
– In the past, we only vaccinated children, because they were primarily sick. Until now, this disease has been associated mainly with the youngest population group. However, 5-10 years after vaccination, immunity wears off. Moreover, it turned out that the whooping cough bacillus is evolving, which reduces the effectiveness of the vaccine. Today, children hardly ever get sick. Cases of whooping cough are mainly among adolescents and adults. The most common source of infection for the youngest are parents and siblings: mothers in about 33 percent. of cases, fathers in about 16%, and older siblings – in about 19%.
Whooping cough – the complications are very serious
This is how whooping cough became a disease of entire families. It should be emphasized that the complications of whooping cough in adults are very serious and troublesome, often preventing normal functioning. These include: pneumonia, vomiting, urinary incontinence and secondary bacterial superinfections. While whooping cough is not a fatal disease, the complications can be serious. So let’s get vaccinated.
The situation is similar with the pneumococcal vaccination, recommended for adults from 50 years of age. In 2017, these vaccinations were included in the Protective Vaccination Program for children who receive three doses, from the age of 2 months (in months 2, 4 and 15). Children up to 2 years of age are the most susceptible to infection with the bacterium. After infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, serious complications can occur, the most dangerous of which is invasive pneumococcal disease with meningitis, severe bacterial pneumonia, blood poisoning or sepsis.
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In seniors, infection may exacerbate comorbidities, especially metabolic or respiratory diseases. The risk is especially increased in smokers and alcohol abusers, in patients with cancer, chronic kidney disease and in those with a lack of spleen. Out of every 10 adults who develop bacteremia from pneumococcal disease, two will die.
Given that pneumococcal infections pave the way for other superinfections – just like influenza viruses facilitate the way of other microbes entering the body via droplets – an affirmative answer to the question of the relevance of vaccination is beyond doubt.
In order to meet social expectations, the Ministry of Health introduces recommendations for adults in the regularly published vaccination calendar. It includes, among others pneumococcal, influenza, hepatitis A and B vaccinations, and booster doses for whooping cough.
Unfortunately, as the opinion poll conducted in 2021 by Kantar showed, only one in four Poles has heard about the existence of a vaccination calendar for adults, and 39 percent. did not have any vaccinations in their adult life.
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- Prof. Banach: there is a chance that we will achieve population immunity to the coronavirus in September
- Sweden relaxes the restrictions. The number of infections is record high