The Importance of Vaccines for Different Groups

Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting you against harmful diseases, before you come into contact with them. It uses your body's natural defenses to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger. Without vaccines, we are at risk of serious illness and disability. Although some diseases may have become uncommon, the germs that cause them continue to circulate in some or all parts of the world. In today's world, infectious diseases can easily cross borders, and infect anyone who is not protected. No matter who you are, immunization can help protect you from serious infectious diseases.

Importance to children

Thanks to advances in medical science, children can be protected from more diseases than ever before. Some diseases that once injured or killed thousands of children have been eliminated completely and others are close to being gone–largely due to safe and effective vaccines. One example of the great impact vaccines can have been the eradication of polio in the United States. Polio was once America's most-feared disease-causing death and paralysis across the country but today, thanks to vaccination, there are no reports of polio in the United States.

Importance to adults

Vaccinations do not end in childhood. As adults, they are also at risk of getting different diseases. Therefore, adults need to continue their immunization series and receive booster doses of vaccines for continued protection (immunity) against disease.

Importance to older adults

Vaccines are especially important for older adults. As older adults age, their immune systems weaken and it becomes more difficult to fight off infections. Older adults are more likely to get diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, and shingles, and to have complications that can lead to long-term illness, hospitalization and even death.

Importance to pregnant women

Vaccines can help protect pregnant women and newborns from vaccine-preventable diseases. During pregnancy, vaccinated mothers pass on infection-fighting proteins called antibodies to their newborns. For example, when a pregnant woman is vaccinated against pertussis, her body produces protective antibodies and passes some of them on to her baby, thus providing early protection.

Importance to immunocompromised individuals

Vaccines are important to protect immunocompromised individuals from infections. Immunocompromised people can get many vaccines, but not all. It depends on why they are immunocompromised and how strong their immune system is. For most people with immunocompromise, inactivated vaccines are safe and live vaccines should be avoided.

Importance to health care workers

Many health care workers are at risk for exposure to and possible transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases. Those who work in hospitals regularly encounter patients as an essential part of their jobs. Disease-causing organisms can easily spread from patients to health care workers and then back to other patients on a hospital floor. Vaccination of health care workers, in the work setting, presents a unique opportunity to prevent their illness and prevent them from transmitting diseases.

Importance to travelers

Vaccinations are recommended for travelers to protect against diseases prevalent in their country of origin or destination. They are intended to protect travelers and prevent the spread of diseases within and between countries.

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