What are vaccines?

Well vaccines are in a sense booster for your body for a specific type of
illness. Most people in America within the twenty first century have been vaccinated
especially since the government requires by law most parent to vaccinate their children. I
say most people because some parents do not vaccinate their children and because of that
their children are more susceptible to illness otherwise prevented by vaccines. Those who
are reported to have these illness are to be quarinteed for safty purposes of the general
public. Vaccines in somecases do wear off when one becomes and adult in otherwords when
the child grows to be an adult they should get a check up from the doctor and be
reaministerd the vaccines.
As a parent, you can choose whether or not to vaccinate your child. We encourage you on
behalf of your child and the other children in your childs school or child care facility to
immunize your child. But, if you choose not to immunize, we encourage you to be an
information seeker and learn for yourself why youve made the decision not to immunize.
Talk to a trusted doctor or nurse, visit trusted websites, or call and talk to the Immunization
Coordinator directly at your local health department to learn more and help get your
questions answered. You can also participate in our blog and connect with other people who
may have similar thoughts. Keep in mind that your decision not only affects your family, but
can also affect the health of others. A single exposure to an outbreak could lead to many
complications for the family or friends of an unvaccinated person.
Without immunizations, you and your child are at greater risk of catching one of
the vaccine-preventable diseases.
A child who is not immunized is automatically more susceptible to dangerous and
sometimes deadly diseases. Fighting these diseases can take a great deal of time,
mandatory isolation, money, and pain. Vaccines were developed to prevent these diseases.
Vaccines are very safe, and the threat of these diseases is very real.
Unvaccinated children and families may be mandated into isolation or quarantine
during disease outbreaks.
During outbreaks, unimmunized children may be mandated into quarantine or isolation
(even if they do not show any signed of having the disease). Simply not being vaccinated
could mean that your child has to be excluded from school or child care or interaction with
others until the outbreak is over. The family could be required to seclude themselves in their
home until receiving a medical or public health clearance. Sometimes, this could take
several weeks or even longer if multiple family members are exposed. While parents taking
off work and children missing school can be very difficult for both the parents and child, this
ultimately helps to protect your child and others.
Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease happen every year

near you.
The State of California experiences vaccine outbreaks each year. Visit thevaccinepreventable-disease outbreak page to see real outbreak numbers.
An unvaccinated person can be a disease threat to other adults and children.
Unfortunately, children who are not immunized pose a threat of transmission when there is
disease in the community. They can pass the disease on to babies who are too young for
immunizations. They also pose a threat to children with medical exemptions, including
children with leukemia, who cannot be immunized because of their medical condition. For a
very small percentage of children, vaccines will not take. These children also are put at
risk. The only way we can protect them is to surround them with immunized children.
Children with exemptions can spread disease to such children who are unaware that they
are not protected. Recent outbreaks of pertussis mostly involved children with exemptions.
In the measles epidemic, students with personal beliefs exemptions were many times more
likely to catch measles than those who were immunized.
Once infected, an otherwise healthy child could die of certain diseases or have
serious complications:
We encourage you to learn more about each vaccine-preventable-disease, its complications
and who is most at risk. Some diseases are usually less serious for children than adults.
Other diseases are less serious for adults and are more dangerous for children.

Pertussis or whooping cough is an extremely dangerous disease for infants and young
children. It is not easily treated and can result in permanent brain damage and death.
California had nearly 600 cases of pertussis in 1993, with two deaths.

During the 1988-90 measles epidemic in California, 2,014 infants and preschool-age children
were hospitalized, and 44 died.

Diphtheria is an infectious disease of the nose and throat that can lead to serious breathing
problems, heart failure, paralysis and even death. There is no risk of serious reaction to the
diphtheria vaccine. Yet, several years ago, the Department of Health Services was consulted
on a tragic case in which a little boy who had just entered school died of diphtheria. His father
had chosen not to have him immunized. The boy was the only unimmunized pupil in his class.

Childhood vaccine doses can wear off as adults.

Not only is it important to vaccinate your children, but its is also important to vaccinate
yourself as an adult. Some doses adults may have received as a child may have worn off
or require a booster dose to help them provide the most protection. Adults can unknowingly
transmit diseases to children who are not yet vaccinated. In some cases, the adult
immunize system can fight off the disease, but the childs immune system cannot, especially

in cases of infants who are too young to receive certain vaccinations. Talk to your health
care provider about which vaccines you may need as an adult.
Children and adults must receive all vaccine doses in order to provide the most
protection.
If the vaccine requires multiple doses, the child or adult must receive all doses for the
vaccine to work effectively. Please review the immunization schedule (link to schedule page)
for adults and children to see vaccine recommendations.