What is immunization?

Immunization (or vaccination) is a process that protects people from disease by introducing a vaccine into the body that triggers an immune response, just as though you had been exposed to a disease naturally. The vaccine contains the same antigens or parts of antigens that cause the disease, but the antigens in vaccines are either killed or greatly weakened. Vaccines work because they trick your body into thinking it is being attacked by the actual disease.

Download here

Immunity through immunization

Immunity (protection) through immunization happens without the consequence of being ill and without the risk of potential life-threatening complications from the disease. Once a person is immunized, specific immune cells called memory cells prevent re-infection when they encounter that disease again in the future.

When you get sick, your body makes antibodies to fight the disease to help you get better. These antibodies stay in your body even after the disease is gone, and protect you from getting the same illness again. This is called immunity. However, you don’t have to get sick to develop immunity. You can gain immunity against disease through immunization. However, not all vaccines provide lifelong immunity. Vaccines such as the tetanus vaccine require booster doses every ten years for adults to maintain immunity.

Download here

Why is Immunization Important?

One hundred years ago, infectious diseases were the leading cause of death worldwide. In Canada, they now cause less than 5% of all deaths – thanks in part to immunization programs across the country.

Immunization protects individuals and communities by preventing the spread of disease. As more people are immunized the disease risk for everyone is reduced. Immunization has probably saved more lives in Canada in the last 50 years than any other health intervention. Immunization is the single most cost-effective health investment, making it a cornerstone in the effort to promote health.

Immunization is one of the most important and cost-effective public health innovations. In Canada, immunization has saved more lives than any other health intervention, and has contributed to the reduction in morbidity and mortality in adults, children and other vulnerable populations. Without immunizations, we can expect to see serious outbreaks of many diseases that we are now protected against.

Immunization doesn’t just protect the people who get immunized – it protects those around them too. When a majority of the people in a community are immunized against a disease, it greatly reduces the chances of that disease spreading in the community, protecting people such as infants who are too young to be immunized and those who are not able to get immunized due to medical reasons.

There are many resources available to you to learn about vaccines and immunization. Immunize Canada has gathered resources from trusted sources and collected them under headings on the left of your screen. If you cannot find what you are looking for, contact us, or contact your doctor, nurse, pharmacist or local public health office.