What you need to know about vaccinations

The past 100 or so years have seen unbelievable improvements in the field of health care; one such advancement has been the development of various vaccines and immunisations. Through vaccinations, protection is now available against many diseases, including influenza, meningitis, certain cancers as well as the biggest killers of children aged five and under namely pneumonia and rotavirus diarrhoea.

Considered by many to be a successful and cost-effective intervention, vaccinations are responsible for saving between two and three million lives each year and for slowly eradicating certain life-threatening diseases. However, despite these facts, there is still a large number of the global population that misses out on the benefits of this development. It is estimated that one in five children do not get vaccinated and, while some of this can be attributed to a lack of resources in certain parts of the world, many are the result of people being misinformed and choosing not to vaccinate themselves or their children.

So are vaccines safe?

Vaccines are rigorously tested for years before they are approved for use. They may have minor side effects, such as a slight fever or pain at the site of the injection, but serious reactions are extremely rare. The risk of a serious reaction can be further minimised by following the guidelines outlined for each specific vaccination.

When should my family and I be vaccinated?

There are a number of recommended vaccines for young children; these are usually administered during early childhood according to an immunisation schedule set out by the Department of Health. Bankmed covers these vaccinations for children under the age of 12 at 100% of the Bankmed Scheme rate. Bankmed also covers the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine at 100% of the Scheme’s medicine reference price, limited to a total course of three doses (depending on product and age) per female beneficiary aged nine to 16 years.

One influenza vaccination per year is also available to Bankmed beneficiaries on all plans, as is the pneumococcal vaccine for adults over the age of 60 and those below 60 who have been diagnosed with Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease or HIV/AIDS.

Travelling to foreign regions can sometimes require vaccinations against certain diseases; it is therefore very important to speak to your doctor before travelling, to find out which vaccinations you will need.