Experts draw attention to the recent increase in vaccine hesitancy, stating that this situation leads to a decrease in vaccination rates among populations, creating difficulties in controlling infectious diseases.
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin, emphasizing that vaccination is the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and our children from diseases, said, “Vaccines teach your immune system how to produce antibodies that protect you from diseases, preventing millions of deaths worldwide every year.” Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin pointed out that, contrary to anti-vaccine rumors, vaccines do not weaken the immune system or cause autism, and warned that if people stop getting vaccinated, infectious diseases could rapidly spread again.
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin from Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine (English) Department of Medical Biochemistry, provided information on the importance of vaccination and vaccine hesitancy.
Beware of anti-vaccine narratives!
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin stated that despite the successful global history of vaccines, many political parties and religious groups have joined the anti-vaccine movement, questioning the scientific credibility and criticizing the origins of vaccines. She said, “Anti-vaccine narratives often spread online and offline through social media. The internet, while producing stories based on conspiracy theories, also invites a struggle against 'forcibly administered government medicines and mandatory medical processes.'”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin emphasized that vaccine and health information should always be obtained from reliable sources such as the national Ministry of Health Vaccine Portal or the World Health Organization (WHO). She stated, “Vaccine information on social media may not be based on scientific evidence and can put your child at risk of serious illness. All available evidence tells us that getting vaccinated is safer than not getting vaccinated.”
Vaccines do not cause autism!
Addressing what vaccines do and do not do, Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin said the following:
“Vaccines help protect you and your child from many serious and potentially fatal diseases. They protect other people in your family and community. They help stop the spread of diseases to people who cannot be vaccinated, such as babies too young to be vaccinated and those too ill to receive vaccines. They undergo rigorous safety tests before being introduced and are also continuously monitored for side effects after introduction. Sometimes, they may cause mild side effects that won't last long, making you feel a bit unwell or causing arm pain for 2 or 3 days. If enough people are vaccinated, they can reduce and even eliminate some diseases.”
On the other hand, Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin underlined that vaccines do not overload or weaken the immune system, stating, “It is safe to give several vaccines to children and adults at the same time, and this reduces the number of injections required. Vaccines do not contain mercury (thimerosal) or any harmful components. They contain components necessary to make them safer and more effective. They do not cause autism. Studies have found no evidence of a link between measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines and autism.”
“Vaccines prevent millions of deaths worldwide every year”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin reminded that vaccination is the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and our children from diseases. She warned, “They prevent millions of deaths worldwide every year. Diseases like smallpox, polio, and tetanus, which killed or disabled millions of people, have either been eradicated or are now very rare thanks to vaccines introduced since their inception. Other diseases like measles and diphtheria have seen very low case numbers each year since vaccines were introduced. However, if people stop getting vaccinated, it is possible for infectious diseases to rapidly spread again.”
“If less than 90% of people are vaccinated, diseases can rapidly spread again”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin pointed out that despite the MMR vaccine being the best protection against measles and mumps, these diseases have begun to reappear in the world. She stated, “This is a serious situation because measles can lead to life-threatening complications such as meningitis, and mumps can also cause hearing loss.”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin also stated that if 95% of children receive the MMR vaccine, the spread of measles would be completely stopped. She added, “However, if less than 90% of people are vaccinated, measles, mumps, and rubella can rapidly spread again. To ensure the best protection, everyone should keep their vaccination schedules up to date.”
Vaccines train the immune system…
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin continued her speech by also addressing how vaccines work:
“Vaccines teach your immune system how to produce antibodies that protect you from diseases. It is much safer for your immune system to learn this through vaccination than by catching and treating diseases. Once your immune system learns how to fight a disease, it can often provide you with lifelong protection. Getting vaccinated also benefits the entire community through 'herd immunity.' If enough people are vaccinated, it is harder for the disease to spread to those who cannot be vaccinated.”
“Anti-vaccine movements are increasing worldwide”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin emphasized that despite vaccines being one of the most successful public interventions of all time, some parents continue to have concerns about vaccine safety. She stated, “Providing parents with reliable, evidence-based information about vaccines is an important component of vaccine risk communication.”
Referring to new research published in the past decade, Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin conveyed the following:
“Research suggests that vaccine hesitancy has increased worldwide in recent years, even among healthcare professionals. Vaccine hesitancy significantly contributes to declining vaccination rates among populations and poses a major challenge for public health in terms of controlling infectious diseases and preventing pandemics. So much so that a group opposing vaccine requirements can create a serious threat environment, leading to a national decline in childhood vaccination rates and the re-emergence of preventable fatal diseases.
Anti-vaccine policies that endanger people's lives have become the discourse of this group. They are acting as part of this reaction by spreading misinformation about pandemic restrictions and the safety of vaccines introduced to combat coronavirus. Before 2020, medical mandates primarily affected school-aged children, university students, and healthcare workers. However, after 2020, mandates began to affect everyone in some way. Particularly for older ages, vaccination measures against different types of flu and whooping cough gained importance.”
Will misguided policy defeat medicine?
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin pointed out that in some countries or states, efforts are being made to draft bills that would limit vaccine access and promote vaccine exemptions in schools and workplaces. She said, “They are trying to eliminate public health mandates related to mask-wearing and vaccines. While the 'Medical freedom' movement, which advocates for everyone to have the opportunity to make their own health decisions, take responsibility, and bear the consequences, gains strength, childhood vaccination rates continue to decline. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in America, the percentage of kindergarten students whose parents opted them out of vaccination reached a new peak of 3% in the 2022-2023 school year, which concerns public health experts. Unfortunately, increased vaccine hesitancy led to measles outbreaks last year in communities with low vaccination rates.”
“The scale of the danger that vaccine science distortion can create is very frightening”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin stated that baseless claims are being carried out as 'deliberate dissemination of health disinformation,' adding that the scale of the danger that such distortion of vaccine science can create is very frightening.
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin pointed out that the most prominent factors related to vaccine hesitancy are structural, explaining the causes of vaccine hesitancy as follows:
“Health and socioeconomic inequalities and injustices, lack of effective public health messages, unethical research involving ethnic minority groups and structural racism, social disadvantages such as lower educational levels and lack of access to high-quality, accurate information, the increasing spread of misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, and rumors through online platforms, socioeconomic disparities, and barriers in access capability such as vaccine delivery time, location, and cost can lead to anti-vaccination initiatives.”
Vaccine hesitancy increased polio cases in Nigeria!
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin emphasized that vaccine hesitancy directly affects the success and effectiveness of immunization programs. She stated, “Vaccine hesitancy is known to harm vaccine demand, which hinders the coverage of vaccination and the control of epidemics.”
Prof. Dr. Nilgün Tekkeşin underlined that vaccine hesitancy poses a danger to individuals, their dependents, and the entire society. She concluded by saying, “It is possible for us to imagine where we would be as a world if these narratives were applied, especially to polio or measles. For example, for this reason, polio cases increased fivefold in Nigeria between 2002 and 2006. This was due to the boycott of the polio vaccine stemming from rumors and distrust of the government.”