An Educational Resource for Healthcare Professionals
Public health discourse in the USA is primarily shaped by growing attention to vaccines in recent years. Healthcare professionals, infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, and immunologists alike have to navigate through the complex vaccine narrative. Through a narrative approach, this article illustrates some common myths and contrasts those with scientific and fact-based truths on the contemporary issues concerning COVID-19, influenza, and HPV vaccines from 2020 to date.
Since vaccine science keeps evolving and public opinions change rapidly, it ought to be an informed evidence-based approach that would embrace a consideration of both myths and facts and place these in a manner that assists professionals to address those patient populations efficiently: elderlies, children, immunocompromised.
Fact: In all stages of clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance, COVID-19, influenza, and HPV vaccines have been found to be safe. Mild side effects, such as soreness in the arm and a low-grade fever, are common, while serious adverse events rarely occur. Studies published in renowned medical journals underpinned this argument to say that benefits far outweigh risks.
Fact: While virus mutations certainly do pose challenges, for now, research and development updates of vaccine formulations hold promise for adapting vaccines so they can still retain high efficacy, especially through booster campaigns. With the constant monitoring and sanctioning, vaccines are maintained fittingly as one of the few resources to helping curb the spread of the virus.
Fact: Although a natural infection can sometimes induce some level of immunity, such induction, however, often entails heavy burdens of severe illness and even complications. Vaccines present a peek of safe immunity with fewer risks, a fact reiterated by epidemiological studies and clinical data time and time again.
The science literature has for the longest time maintained that vaccines are amongst the best things that can ever be undertaken to safeguard public health. Sufficient evidence from studies conducted since 2020 til now has been presented to back practical recommendations:
Reliable ResourcesFor more reading materials and updated information on vaccine matters, healthcare workers are prompted to check:
In dealing with vaccine challenges in the United States of America, a balanced understanding of myths and facts is necessary. Being a healthcare professional, you are instrumental in establishing trust with your patients, hence dispelling myths using facts and evidence. Accept and undertake constant learning and improvement on how to deliver information for advocacy.