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Immunization Occurs And Its Effects On Children 's Immune System

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Immunization occurs when a person is made resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. A vaccine stimulates the body’s own immune system to protect a person from an infection or a disease. The vaccines give a small amount of a virus or bacteria that has been weakened or killed. The immune system learns to recognize and attack that virus or bacteria if the person is later exposed to it. Everyone’s immune system is different and not all will generate an adequate response. Because of this he or she will not be immunized from that particular disease. For young children the recommended vaccines are measles, chicken pox, pneumococcal disease, and other illnesses. As they get older, children should get other vaccines to protect them from diseases. People who also travel are required to get vaccinated. People who travel to Africa especially South Africa are required to get vaccinated for yellow fever because it is still prevalent there. A benefit of getting vaccinated is herd immunity, which is also known as community immunity. It refers to everyone in a community being vaccinated at high rates. With enough people immune to a specific disease, it is difficult for that disease to affect that community. When a community vaccination rate drops below the threshold of herd immunity, disease outbreaks can occur. For example the threshold of herd immunity for polio is estimated to be between eighty and eighty-six percent. If that vaccine

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