Published: 02/11/2019 Updated: 05/31/2021
The World Health Organization annually updates its list of global threats to humanity. This year, along with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes, it included refusal of vaccinations.
People who speak out against vaccinations and do not vaccinate their children—anti-vaxxers—not only put themselves at risk, but also put others at risk. Moreover, this threat is quite real; just remember the autumn measles epidemic in Europe and Ukraine. And the increase in migration flows only aggravates the situation.
How to sign up for vaccination?
All vaccinations for adults included in the National Preventive Vaccination Calendar can be given free of charge at the district clinic.
All you need to do is take out your compulsory medical insurance policy, make an appointment with a therapist and get a referral to a vaccination office. Vaccinations are given strictly on the day of examination by a therapist. Vaccination is carried out against the background of complete health. It is not recommended to vaccinate during exacerbations of chronic diseases or acute respiratory viral infections. In this case, you need to pause for 10-14 days after the illness and then go to the doctor.
Information about all vaccinations, indicating the name of the vaccine, is entered into your personal Certificate of Preventive Vaccinations and endorsed by a medical institution. The certificate remains in your hands and is valid throughout Russia.
How legal is forced vaccination and how to refuse vaccination. Advice from a lawyer
February 1, 2021, 13:43 - Public news service - OSN Mass vaccination against COVID-19 has begun in Russia. Priority is given to elderly people and those with chronic diseases. However, it seems that the majority of working-age Russians will not be able to avoid vaccination. Social networks are full of complaints that employers are forcing employees to get vaccinated, threatening them with layoffs. Lawyer Vladimir Goncharov told the Public News Service how legal this is .
What the law says
“We should not forget that vaccinations are voluntary. You can always refuse in writing. There are a number of vaccinations required to visit a number of countries; without them, you simply will not leave the country or enter your destination. But Russia is not included in this list. There are also special conditions for vaccination in case of danger or the onset of an epidemic. In this case, the epidemic is already taking place,” explained the lawyer.
Preventive vaccinations from the National Calendar
Diphtheria, tetanus
Revaccination is repeated every 10 years for adults over 18 years of age. A combination vaccine is used. There are no absolute contraindications.
Diphtheria is transmitted from person to person. The disease is very contagious and insidious: at the initial stage, the infection is disguised not just as an acute respiratory infection, but as a mild acute respiratory infection. Further, it resembles the symptoms of a sore throat. The main danger of diphtheria is severe complications for the heart, kidneys, blood coagulation system, and respiratory system.
To assess the level of immunity and protection against diphtheria before vaccination, you can perform a test for antibodies to diphtheria toxoid (DPGA, total) in CITILAB.
Hepatitis B virus
Unvaccinated adults are recommended to be vaccinated regularly from 18 to 55 years of age. Depending on the order of revaccination and the strength of immunity, it is repeated after 3-5 years. You can check whether immunity has formed using a laboratory test at CITILAB. This is a test Anti-HBs Antibodies total. Read more about the hepatitis B virus in a separate article.
Measles
Viral, highly contagious disease. In adults who have not been vaccinated with the measles vaccine, it is more severe than in children and causes serious complications such as pneumonia, damage to the cornea, meningitis, and meningoencephalitis. Immunity after vaccination lasts 12 years or more. To assess the strength of post-vaccination immunity to the measles virus in CITILAB, you can perform the Antibody to Measles Virus IgG test.
Rubella
The rubella virus is especially dangerous for the fetus. Therefore, the rubella vaccine is recommended for all women from 18 to 25 years of age who are planning a pregnancy, have not been previously ill, have not been vaccinated, have been vaccinated once, or do not have information about rubella vaccinations.
When planning a pregnancy, before vaccination at CITILAB, you can perform a test for immunity to rubella.
Flu
Dangerous for its complications. Therefore, it is recommended to repeat the vaccine annually. Vaccination is especially recommended for those who have chronic diseases of the lungs, cardiovascular system, diabetes, obesity, as well as older people over 60 years of age.
Vaccination for adults
Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent severe infectious diseases and their complications. The risks of severe course of the infections listed in the list are much higher than the risks of undesirable manifestations of vaccination. The safety of vaccination is also ensured by choosing the appropriate vaccine depending on age, immune status, gender, concomitant conditions and diseases.
Flu
The disease is especially dangerous for children, pregnant women, people over 50 years of age, and patients with immunodeficiency. These people should definitely receive influenza prevention.
Types of flu vaccines:
- live attenuated: can be used to vaccinate healthy, non-pregnant adults under 50 years of age;
- inactivated: do not contain live virus, are safe and recommended for vaccination of pregnant women, people over 50 years of age and patients with immunodeficiencies;
- recombinant: do not contain egg white components, can be safely used for vaccination of people with allergic reactions to this product. They are also used for vaccination of pregnant women, people over 50 years of age and patients with immunodeficiencies.
Diphtheria, tetanus
Diphtheria is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person through airborne droplets. The disease is characterized by severe intoxication and the formation of dense films in the larynx and nasopharynx, which can lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure, and even death.
Tetanus is a wound infection. Causes painful, spastic contractions of the muscles of the entire body. Mortality in 2 cases is 10.
In the Russian Federation, the ADS-M vaccine (diphtheria-tetanus toxoid) is used to vaccinate adults against these infections. Since post-vaccination immunity is not stable, revaccinations are recommended every 10 years.
If vaccination status is unknown, a primary vaccination of 2 doses is recommended with a booster vaccination after 6-12 months. Further revaccinations are every 10 years.
Chicken pox
Vaccination is recommended for adults who did not have this infection in childhood, since the disease can be severe at any age.
If you don't remember or are not sure that you have had chickenpox before, you can take a blood test to check for antibodies to the varicella-zoster virus.
All chickenpox vaccines are live, and therefore are not used for vaccination of pregnant women and people with immunodeficiencies.
Emergency vaccination is possible in case of contact with a patient with chickenpox within 96 hours.
Human papillomavirus (HPV)
HPV is transmitted sexually and through skin-to-skin contact. There are more than 150 serotypes of varying pathogenicity - from asymptomatic carriage and warts to serious cancer. By the end of 2013, the human papillomavirus vaccine had been introduced in 55 countries. WHO
.
The most dangerous are serotypes 16 and 18. They are highly oncogenic, and about 70% of HPV-associated cancers (cancer of the cervix, larynx, penis, rectum) are associated with them. Serotypes 6 and 11 are detected in 90% of cases of anogenital condylomas, and also often in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.
In the Russian Federation, 2 types of vaccines are registered and used for prevention: bivalent (Cervarix, contains antigens of the most dangerous HPV serotypes 16 and 18) and quadrivalent (Gardasil, in addition to serotypes 16 and 18, contains 6 and 11).
Vaccines are not curative if there is persistent HPV of the corresponding serotype. The purpose of vaccination is to prevent the development of cancer. In the case of vaccination before the start of sexual activity (ideal option), prevention of HPV infection in the future is also ensured.
Vaccination is recommended for girls and women from 9 (11) to 45 years of age, and can also be carried out for men up to 26 years of age.
Measles, rubella, mumps
Rubella
- not a serious infection, but dangerous for the developing fetus if a pregnant woman becomes infected. Therefore, immunoprophylaxis is carried out for everyone, even in childhood, both boys and girls, in order to prevent the spread of the rubella virus.
Measles
- a dangerous infection that is severe at any age. Complications: otitis media, pneumonia, damage to the brain and spinal cord, death.
Mumps
(mumps)
is a disease that occurs with intoxication (headache and muscle pain), fever, and rash. The mumps virus affects the glandular organs (salivary glands, pancreas, genitals, etc. Complications: infertility, encephalitis, meningitis, death.
Vaccination is recommended for those who have not been vaccinated before and have not been sick. All vaccines against measles, rubella and mumps are live, therefore they are not used for vaccination of pregnant women and for certain immunodeficiencies.
Emergency vaccination of contacts is possible:
- measles - first 3 days;
- mumps - first 7 days;
- rubella - not carried out.
Tick-borne viral encephalitis
The disease occurs with fever and damage to the gray matter of the brain (encephalitis) and/or its membranes (meningoencephalitis. Possible damage to the spinal cord. The infection can leave persistent neurological and mental complications, there is a risk of death.
The infection is endemic in some regions (St. Petersburg, Leningrad region, Karelia, Siberia, Ural, Far East). The natural reservoir of the virus is various warm-blooded wild and farm animals and birds. They do not get sick, but they transmit the virus to the tick that bites them (Ixodes persulcatus and Ixodes ricinus). Subsequently, when bitten, the tick can transmit the virus to humans. This is the main route of infection - transmissible.
A nutritional route of infection is also possible when consuming raw milk from goats and cows.
Prevention is recommended for lovers of country and country holidays, those living outside the city, and travelers. Primary vaccination consists of 3 doses (intervals are determined by the type of vaccine), followed by revaccination with one dose every 3 years.
Full protection is formed 14 days after receiving the second dose of the vaccine during primary vaccination.
Emergency administration of anti-tick immunoglobulin for a tick bite is not required if a full course of vaccination and timely revaccinations are available. If a person is not vaccinated, or is not fully vaccinated, immunoglobulin must be administered, but this is only effective while the virus is in the blood. After the virus penetrates the cells of the nervous system, immunoglobulin cannot affect it. Thus, the effectiveness of the administration of anti-tick immunoglobulin decreases in proportion to the increase in time from the moment of the bite.
Hepatitis A
The virus is shed by a sick person in feces through the gastrointestinal tract. Infection occurs when drinking contaminated water, food, or using contaminated household items (dishes). The disease tends to spread epidemically and cause “outbreaks” in groups (kindergartens, schools, barracks, boarding schools, catering establishments, hotels, etc.)
The course of the disease can be mild, but severe forms with an acute period lasting up to a month are also possible. The acute period is characterized by fever, intoxication, and jaundice.
Vaccination is recommended for everyone who has not been sick, especially those who like to travel. Mandatory for all food service workers. The course consists of 2 doses of the vaccine; revaccinations are not required.
Emergency vaccination before a planned trip and immunization of contacts with the sick person within 10 days are possible.
Hepatitis B
This infection is transmitted through blood and sexual contact. The virus is stable for a long time outside the human body, and the amount of blood for infection and damage to the skin is quite minimal, invisible to the eye. This makes possible a household route of transmission through shared manicure and shaving instruments, and there is also a potential risk during surgical and cosmetic procedures and the use of blood products.
Chronic hepatitis B is a serious disease that progresses to cirrhosis of the liver and is a risk for developing liver cancer.
In adults, the infection often occurs in an acute form; transition to a chronic course is observed in 2-6% of cases. In case of infection in childhood, the risk of chronicity increases to 90%. The younger the child, the more likely the infection is to become severe and chronic. Therefore, vaccination against viral hepatitis B has been introduced into the national vaccination calendar and is recommended for administration to newborns on the 1st day of life.
Routine vaccination is recommended:
- for young, previously unvaccinated adults;
- people who have sexual contacts with different partners;
- medical workers;
- living with carriers of the hepatitis B virus;
- patients who need regular blood products and hemodialysis;
- patients with chronic liver diseases;
- HIV-infected;
- patients with diabetes, as prescribed by a doctor.
An emergency vaccination regimen is possible before a planned operation or in case of contact with an infection.
Meningococcal infection
Meningococcal infection is a serious disease affecting the central nervous system (brain, meninges) caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. It is transmitted from a sick person by coughing, sneezing, or kissing. The danger of infection through such contact exists for any person, regardless of gender, age, or immune status.
In 2015, the Menactra vaccine was registered in the Russian Federation, providing long-term immunity against bacterial meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis serotypes A, C, W and Y. This vaccine is recommended for all groups of the population from 9 months to 55 years, for routine prevention of this infection. (The age of those vaccinated is determined by the instructions for the vaccine. There is not enough data on the use of the vaccine in people over 55 years of age).
Previously existing vaccines (Meningo A+C, Mencevax) provide short-term immunity, so they can only be used for emergency prophylaxis in case of contact with a patient and the absence of routine immunization.
Pneumococcal infection
A group of bacteria, Streptococcus pneumonia (or pneumococcus), most often the cause of bacterial pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, and purulent otitis media.
The infection is most dangerous for young children (vaccination is included in the national vaccination calendar from 2 months) and adults over 65 years of age.
There is also an increased risk of severe course in adults with chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, heart failure, chronic lung diseases, chronic kidney pathology, immunodeficiency conditions, patients with anatomical or functional asplenia, bone marrow recipients, patients with cancer).
For these patients, a combination vaccination consisting of a dose of conjugate vaccine (Prevenar 13) followed by vaccination with a polysaccharide vaccine (Pneumo 23) is recommended. Further, according to indications, the doctor may recommend booster vaccinations with Pneumo 23.
Haemophilus influenzae infection
The bacterium Haemophilus influenzae type b is dangerous for young children (vaccination is included in the national vaccination schedule), as it can cause pneumonia, meningitis and severe epiglottitis (inflammation of the epiglottis) with a high risk of mortality.
Vaccination is included in the national vaccination calendar and can be given to children from 3 months to 5 years.
A single vaccination is also recommended for adults with functional or anatomical asplenia, stem cell and bone marrow recipients.
For travelers
Depending on the country you are traveling to, vaccination against the following infections may be recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid Fever, Rabies, Yellow Fever, Poliomyelitis.
There is no vaccination against Malaria, but there is effective drug prevention. Ask your family doctor or infectious disease specialist for an appointment if you are planning to travel to endemic areas.
Additional vaccinations
Vaccinations not included in the National Preventive Vaccination Calendar are paid additionally. These include pneumococcal infection, hepatitis A, tick-borne encephalitis, shigellosis (dysentery).
CITILAB doctors remind that timely vaccination is one of the effective ways to prevent serious infections and their spread.
Be healthy!
Author:
Baktyshev Alexey Ilyich, General practitioner (family doctor), ultrasound diagnostics doctor, chief physician
