‘Vaccination should not be confined to childhood alone, but should be given to all age groups’

Stating that Turkey is one of the best countries in its geography in terms of diversity and coverage of childhood vaccines, Prof. from the Department of Infectious Diseases of Izmir Katip Çelebi University Atatürk Training and Research Hospital. Dr. Alper Şener stated that 15 different vaccines are actively applied. Explaining that childhood vaccines have over 96 percent coverage in the field, Prof. Dr. Şener pointed out that more than 96 percent of the society has been vaccinated. Prof. Dr. Şener said, “Immunization is not limited to childhood. Especially with the Covid-19 process, we have learned that it is very important to vaccinate adults and the elderly. Therefore, we can say that lifelong immunization is of great importance. In other words, we do not limit vaccines only to childhood. Vaccination is available to all ages. “We need to spread it to other groups. Turkey is behind in some vaccine types in this respect. Especially the pneumonia vaccine should be more widespread in people over the age of 65,” he said.

‘IT IS NECESSARY TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT OPTIONAL VACCINES’

Explaining that the disease course is very different in people who were vaccinated and those who were not vaccinated during the Covid-19 epidemic, Prof. Dr. Alper Şener reminded that the meningitis vaccine is one of the optional vaccines in the childhood age group and stated that it should be more widespread.

Noting that the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine in the elderly has become prominent among diseases transmitted by respiratory tract infections, Şener said, “Vaccines related to shingles should be administered in the elderly. Because some of them can be fatal. Some may experience long-term pain after overcoming the disease. HPV (Human Papilloma) The virus vaccine has arrived in Turkey, but it has not become widespread. This is a disease directly related to cervical cancer. It is not only a disease that can be contracted through multiple sexual partners, but it is a virus that can be acquired in other ways among the population. Unfortunately, vaccination should be widespread. “Since this is not included in the extended immunization schedule in Turkey, but is optional, it is necessary to raise awareness and keep the vaccine within affordable limits, as well as increasing the level of knowledge about HPV,” he said.

‘THE VACCINATED GROUP CAN BE SAVED FROM DEATH, DISABILITY AND CANCER’

Stating that the level of knowledge about vaccines in society should be increased, Prof. Dr. Şener stated that anti-vaccination poses great risks for public health and continued as follows:

“A group that is vaccinated can be saved from death, disability and cancer. Hepatitis vaccine is very common in Turkey. It is a vaccine that protects against liver cancer and cirrhosis. If any disease is a disease that can be prevented by vaccination, there is no problem if the general immunity rate in the society is over 96 percent.” But even if it is 94 percent, it can cause a widespread epidemic in the whole country, especially in a highly contagious disease such as measles and chickenpox. The unvaccinated population suffered a widespread and intense disease, resulting in death.

Vaccines such as HSV and HPV are also important for public health. When vaccination occurs, the disease is gradually eliminated from society. The simplest example is polio. I was born in 1972. When I was in primary school, we had friends who couldn’t walk or had stiff legs. Today polio is eliminated. This is where the protective and striking effects of vaccines are seen.

In the 1996s, measles caused an epidemic in villages and caused deaths. We don’t see this today. There is a 30-year period in between and the concepts of measles-related death and epidemic have disappeared from our vocabulary. In order to prevent relapse, vaccinations must be done regularly within the vaccination schedule. If we do not follow these, the vaccination and immunization rate in the society will decrease as immigrants arrive, since Turkey is not a country with a rapidly growing population, but it is a country that receives rapid immigration. “Even a single unit drop can lead to unexpected results.”