Vaccines Are Immune System Antiviral Software
I was diagnosed with paralytic spinal polio on August 9, 1955 at 15 months old. My mother had been trying valiantly to get me vaccinated all summer but my pediatrician’s office wasn’t administering the Salk vaccine to their patients following the Cutter incident in spring of that year. Vaccinations resumed in June 1955 following confirmation that vaccine stocks from the three other manufacturers followed proper manufacturing processes and their vaccine contained only killed poliovirus. Because of the withholding of the Salk vaccine following the post-Cutter incident resolution by my pediatrician’s office, I missed a window of opportunity to be vaccinated.
I have dealt with the aftermath for the past 70 years. Immunization preventable diseases are just that–they equip the body to prevent or significantly reduce the likelihood of preventable morbidity and mortality. No one knows what the course of these infections will take in any one individual until it occurs–if it goes badly, they’ll have a lifetime to deal with the residuals–whatever form they take. Vaccinations play a huge role in protecting ourselves and everyone else. Individuals may have asymptomatic infections where they feel fine but are still shedding the virus to everyone around them who, if they become infected, may develop a severe infection. Individuals may also shed the virus before symptoms appear or for extended periods of time following infection which may then infect others.
Some folks want iron-clad guarantees of safety before getting immunized–not realizing that vaccines are one of the most successful disease prevention measures available. They are one of the most vetted medical and public health interventions in existence. They are ineffective once an infection by a pathogen has hi-jacked the body’s defense mechanisms and disease occurs–vaccines provide our bodies with an additional tool in its infection defense toolbox. It also defends us against infection from those around us–and you won’t necessarily know who those people are.
I remain vigilant keeping ALL my vaccinations current. I promote this message to those around me, who sometimes are surprised to learn I’m living history as a polio survivor, especially when they see me using assistive devices they haven’t seen me use before. Remember, the pathogens don’t vanish just because no one seems to be ill.
Steven Ahrenholz
Union Township, Ohio