Debunking myths and misconceptions about vaccines

In Kenya, they are recognised one key way of providing immunity against certain diseases. However, many myths and misconceptions surround the process. Dr CYPRIAN MACHIKA, head of clinical operations at CheckUps Medical Centre helps to debunk some of them.

Sandra Wekesa @wekesasandra

Myth: It is the main cause of autism.

Fact: Dr Machika explains that in recent times there has been a major public health fear that vaccinating against preventable diseases can have links to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 

However, this is not true since autism is related to brain development that impacts how a person interacts with others.

He says it is wrong to associate well-being of people to ASD yet it is not scientific proven.

Myth: It is dangerous to the health of a child.

Fact: A child’s immunity builds due to the substance in vaccines that cause resistance. Therefore, they are not aggressive to the child at all. 

“It is good to have all vaccines within the required time frame to ensure you protect your child from any diseases,” he says.

Myth: It is not necessary to vaccinate early in life.

Fact: Yes, there could be adverse effects after immunisation, but they are rare and not dangerous as they can be managed. Besides, the benefits are more than risks of not immunising. 

“In fact, the diseases prevented by these vaccines are deadly when they get to the young ones. That is why it is important to be vaccinated while young,” he says.

Myth: It is not effective 

Fact: Machika says, it is true vaccinated people might also get infected during outbreak because it is not guaranteed that your body will develop resistance simply because bodies react differently to certain vaccines. 

“Vaccines have been scientifically proven and are extremely effective, for example, flu vaccine has reduced the number of cases over the years, especially to susceptible population,” he says.

Myth: It leads to sterilisation.

Fact: This myth became rampant after the introduction of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Many were questioned why it was being administered to young girls. He says  this is not true because the vaccine helps in preventing certain HPV that leads to cancer. 

“Another myth that may have arisen from vaccines concerning sterilisation is tetanus because it would be injected to expectant women. 

However, it is not true that this is a method of family planning or containing population,” he adds.

Myth: it contains unsafe toxins.

Fact: The medic asserts this is true, for example, mercury, although scary, is used in minimal amounts. This makes vaccines safer and effective and not harm any individual.

Myth: Only your child is protected from the vaccine

Fact: Failure to vaccinate your child affects other children. When a disease arises in the community, it can spread to others because not everyone would have developed immunity against it. 

Therefore, having herd immunity where over 85 per cent of the community have been vaccinated confers immunity to those not immunised. 

Myths: Most of these diseases don’t even exist

Fact: “During my field work I have come across parents who claim these diseases don’t exist, but their infection rates are low because most people have been vaccinated against them. 

“Since you haven’t come across a child with either polio or measles doesn’t mean they don’t exist,” he says.

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