Vaccines remain one of the most effective public health interventions, protecting individuals and communities from harmful infectious diseases. Siyabonga Mbatha, had a chat with Dr Astrid Kouatcho and Dr Samantha Mazen, public health medicine registrars currently rotating in the NICD’s Division of Public Health Surveillance and Response, to discuss the importance of routine immunisation, vaccine safety, and vaccine hesitancy.
Why are vaccines important?
Vaccination is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting people against harmful infectious diseases, ensuring that people are protected should they be exposed to the diseases that they have been vaccinated against.
Vaccines use the body’s natural defences to build resistance to specific infections and makes your immune system stronger. They train the immune system to create antibodies, just as it does when it’s exposed to a disease. However, because vaccines contain only killed or weakened forms of viruses or bacteria, they do not cause the disease or put you at risk of its complications. Vaccines teach your body to fight certain diseases without you having to get sick.
Vaccines are one of the most impactful public health interventions in history, delivering wide-ranging benefits to individuals, communities, and health systems. Beyond individual protection, vaccines can contribute to reducing the spread of infections within communities and protecting vulnerable groups such as infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Vaccination has led to the global eradication of the previously dreaded disease smallpox, and has brought diseases like poliomyelitis close to eradication in many regions. By preventing infections, vaccines reduce hospitalizations, complications, and long-term disabilities, easing pressure on healthcare systems and resources.
The South African Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) programme outlines the vaccination schedule from birth until the age of 12. Why is it important for parents to ensure that their kids don’t miss scheduled vaccination?
Although babies receive antibodies from their mothers during pregnancy and breastfeeding, this immunity only lasts a few months and is not fully protective. It is therefore imperative to vaccinate children in order to provide longer lasting and more complete protection. The South African Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) is designed to provide protection at the most critical stages of a child’s development. The schedule is timed carefully to ensure that the child’s immune system is ready to respond effectively to each vaccine dose. Thus, timely vaccinations ensure that children develop immunity before they are exposed to life-threatening illnesses.
What should a parent do if they miss any vaccines? Is there a catch-up programme in place?
It’s never too late to vaccinate. If the child has missed any vaccination, catch-up vaccinations are available. A healthcare provider will be able to advise on the appropriate schedule for catch-up vaccines. Some changes may be made to the schedule depending on the age of the child at the time of catch-up vaccination.
A recommended catch-up immunization schedule and a national field guide for the catch-up of child health interventions are available on the NICD website and provide more information on the process of catch-up of missed vaccination doses (see here).
Often parents can be dissuaded to go to clinic due to long queues. Are EPI vaccines available in private clinics?
Yes, most private clinics offer vaccinations that are included in both the private and public (EPI) vaccination schedules, with only a small administration/service fee charged sometimes. An appointment has to be booked at these clinics.
How safe are vaccines?
Before any vaccine is introduced in South Africa, the vaccine undergoes rigorous and stringent testing through multiple phases of clinical trials. In South Africa, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority carefully evaluate the results of these trials to help ensure that the vaccine meets the highest safety and efficacy standards before being considered suitable for use. Even after approval and widespread use, vaccines continue to be closely monitored. Surveillance systems detect rare or unexpected adverse events, ensuring that any potential safety concerns are rapidly investigated and addressed. In summary, vaccines are among the most thoroughly tested medical products. While minor side effects (such as soreness at the injection site or mild fever) can occur, serious adverse events are extremely rare. The robust, multi-layered safety system—from laboratory research to continuous global monitoring—helps ensure that vaccines remain safe for public use.
In simple terms, what is vaccine hesitancy and why is it important to talk about it now?
Vaccine hesitancy refers to the refusal or delay in accepting safe vaccines even though vaccination services are available. Vaccine hesitancy not only affects individual and community health in terms of controlling vaccine-preventable diseases, but may also affect the overall success of public health vaccination programmes.
What are the key factors driving vaccine hesitancy in our communities today?
Vaccine hesitancy is a multifaceted and context-specific challenge, influenced by a combination of social, cultural, psychological, and systemic factors. Most often this includes misinformation, lack of knowledge or understanding of vaccines, cultural and/or religious beliefs, perceiving that the risk of infection is low and thus vaccinations are not important, concerns over the safety of vaccines, as well as a general lack of trust in the vaccination process.
What simple actions can communities take to promote vaccine confidence?
- Talking openly about vaccines with family and friends and in your community in order to identify misinformation and misconceptions and reduce fear about vaccines.
- Use credible sources to obtain reliable information about vaccines and share accurate information.
- Involving trusted local leaders and public figures to encourage communities to vaccinate.
