Topic 6.5
Key Concepts
- Vaccines train the immune system to recognise and combat pathogens without causing illness, protecting individuals and communities from infectious diseases.
- Different types of vaccines include weakened pathogens, antigens, and modern mRNA or DNA-based vaccines, each designed to stimulate an immune response effectively.
- Achieving high vaccination rates can create herd immunity, offering protection to those who cannot be vaccinated and reducing the spread of disease.
Summary
In this topic, you have learned that vaccines protect against an infectious disease. It contains a weakened germ or an outer bit of the germ, which stimulates the body to build antibodies to protect against an infection.
Herd immunity is built when enough people have had a vaccine, had the infection, and survived.
Extension Activities
Imagine there’s an outbreak of a preventable disease in your community. Vaccination rates are low, and not enough people are protected to achieve herd immunity. Your task is to create a public awareness campaign to educate the community about the importance of vaccines.
Step 1: Form a Team
Work in small groups to create one part of the campaign. Each group will focus on a different way to communicate key information about vaccines.
Step 2: Choose Your Campaign Style
Decide how your group will present your message:
- Infographic or Poster
- Social Media Post or Video Script
- Speech or Letter to the Editor
Step 3: Build Your Campaign
Step 4: Present Your Campaign
Reflection Questions:
- Why do some people hesitate to get vaccinated, and how could your campaign address their concerns?
- How does herd immunity help protect vulnerable members of the community?
- What changes would you make to adapt your campaign for different audiences (e.g., parents, elderly individuals, or teenagers)?