Here is the text about vaccination and the exercises to complete below.

Marcin Legeżyński To Jab Or Not To Jab?

Receiving vaccines may be one of your earliest childhood memories. This is because most countries use a specific vaccination programmespecific vaccination programmespecific vaccination programme which protects you from many serious and potentially deadly diseases from very early stage in your life. Some vaccines are administered to babies right after their birth, others are scheduled throughout your childhood and adolescence. You will also be given specific types of vaccines before travelling to a high‑risk area, after experiencing an injury, or before being admitted to hospital. Vaccines not only protect you, they also protect other people in your community by helping to stop diseases spreading to people who cannot have vaccines. Most vaccines undergo rigorous safety testingrigorous safety testingrigorous safety testing before being introduced – they’re also constantly monitored for side effectsconstantly monitored for side effects [constantly monitor for side effects]constantly monitored for side effects after being introduced. Although you may sometimes experience mild side effectsmild side effects [mild side effect]mild side effects of a vaccine, they will not last long – some patients may feel a bit unwell and have a sore arm for 2 or 3 days after a jab. Vaccination programmes reduce or even get rid of some diseases – if enough people are vaccinated.

Have you ever heard any myths related to vaccination? There are a number of them, but most are false. For example, they do not seem to cause autism, as many people believe. Studies have found no evidence of a link between vaccines and developing serious diseases. Also, they do not overload or weaken the immune systemoverload or weaken the immune systemoverload or weaken the immune system – it’s usually safe to give children or adults several vaccines at a time and this reduces the amount of injections they need. All the current evidence tells us that vaccinating is safer than not vaccinating. Although vaccines do not contain any ingredients that cause harmingredients that cause harm [ingredient that causes harm]ingredients that cause harm in such small amounts, you should speak to your doctor if you have any known allergies such as eggs or gelatine (but they will not cause you new allergies or any other conditions).  This way you can avoid any adverse reactionsavoid any adverse reactions [avoid adverse reaction]avoid any adverse reactions to vaccination.

You may wonder what vaccines actually are and how they are used. A vaccine typically consists of weakened or killed virusesweakened or killed viruses [weakened or killed virus]weakened or killed viruses or bacteriabacteria [bacterium]bacteria, sometimes their toxins or even proteins from their surface. This substance, called antigenantigenantigen, is produced to create a desired immune responsedesired immune responsedesired immune response. When a person gets vaccinated, their immune systemimmune systemimmune system recognises the antigen as foreign and is prepared to kill the disease‑causing virus or bacterium and make antibodiesantibodies [antibody]antibodies against it.

In this way, a vaccine is able to develop active immunitydevelop active immunitydevelop active immunity against a specific harmfum agent by stimulating the immune systemstimulating the immune system [stimulate the immune system]stimulating the immune system to attack it.

Vaccines are usually administered by injectionadministered by injection [administer by injection]administered by injection, but some are given orallygiven orally [give orally]given orally or even nasallynasallynasally.

Did you know that some extremely deadly diseases that used to trouble mankind for centuries have been eliminated thanks to vaccination? For example, smallpoxsmallpox, a life‑threatening viral disease causing  blistersblisters [blister]blisters all over the body was declared eradicateddeclared eradicated [declare eradicated]declared eradicated in 1980. Other serious conditions, such as poliopolio, have been got rid of or significantly reducedgot rid of or significantly reduced [get rid of or significantly reduce]got rid of or significantly reduced in most parts of the world as a result of vaccination programmes. Cases of tetanustetanus are increasingly uncommon thanks to vaccines, although tetanus vaccines are still administered to patients with deep wounds.

The vaccine’s efficacyvaccines’ efficacy [vaccine’s efficacy]vaccine’s efficacy is clear, it contributes to saving people’s lives and improving their health. But remember to always consult your doctor first!

1 Źródło: Marcin Legeżyński, licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.