Smallpox Vaccine: Who Needs It and Who Doesn’t?

The smallpox vaccine is given to eliminate smallpox disease. Currently, there is no cure for smallpox. People have been completely protected from the variola virus by the regular vaccination program run globally. But even today, researchers doing research on smallpox virus are more likely to get this infection. When a person is infected with the smallpox virus, symptoms usually appear after 10 to 14 days. The variola virus becomes active in the body in 7 to 17 days, during which the person feels unwell. However, in this situation, he is unable to infect other people. When the virus is active or fully formed in the body of the infected person, the following symptoms appear along with the flu.

• High fever 
• Feeling more chills than usual, 
• Headache,
• Severe back pain, 
• Pain in the stomach, 
• Vomiting. 

Usually these symptoms get cured in two to three days. After which the person starts feeling healthy. However, when the person starts feeling fine, rashes start appearing on his body. First of all, the infected person gets rashes on the face, after which it spreads to the hands and wrists and later to other parts of the body. In one or two days, the rash turns into small blisters filled with fluid. After eight to nine days, the blisters start forming a scab and later they heal and leave scars on the body.

(Read more - DPT Vaccine for Newborns)

Until smallpox was completely eradicated, people were regularly given smallpox vaccines. Smallpox vaccine is not given to children under 12 months of age. Along with this, it is suggested to vaccinate children and adolescents between one year and 18 years only in case of severe smallpox. Currently, Dryvax is mainly included in the smallpox vaccine.

The smallpox vaccine provides protection to a person for three to five years. After this, the protection provided by the vaccine decreases. In such a situation, you need a booster dose to protect yourself from smallpox for a long time.

(Read more - Vaccine-derived poliovirus)

Generally, smallpox vaccines are considered safe and effective. Most people experience very mild side effects from this vaccine, which indicate that the vaccine has started working. Some people who receive the smallpox vaccine need to seek medical advice. The following side effects from the smallpox vaccine require a person to seek medical treatment soon. Common side effects from the smallpox vaccine:

• Feeling very cold, 
• Shivering,
• Swelling and pain in the lymph nodes of the neck, armpits and the area between the stomach and thigh (groin). 

Rare cases caused by the vaccine:

Restlessness, anxiety, back pain, blindness, blistering or peeling of the skin, yellowing of the skin, blurred vision, chest pain, seizures, cough, diarrhea, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, lethargy, rapid heartbeat, fever and chills, hallucinations, headache, irritability, itching, muscle pain, joint pain, fainting, mood swings, redness in the eyes, difficulty in breathing, throat pain, sores or blisters on the mouth or lips, chest tightness, stiff neck, fatigue and weakness, vomiting and wheezing while breathing, etc.

(Read more - Tetanus Injection: How It Works)

Sometimes the smallpox vaccine is not recommended in certain circumstances. Due to any disease or other health condition, doctors do not consider it appropriate to give this vaccine to children or adults. Let us know further in which circumstances the smallpox vaccine should not be taken or should be taken only after consulting a doctor.

• If a woman is going to conceive soon. 
• If there is eczema, atopic dermatitis or immune disorder,
• While undergoing cancer treatment, 
• Having HIV, 
• Persons who have undergone organ transplant,
• Coronary heart disease (heart artery problem). 

(Read more - Is Hepatitis B Curable?)

The smallpox vaccine was discovered and manufactured by Edward Jenner. Before making the vaccine, Edward Jenner conducted tests on milkmaids who did not get smallpox after cowpox. In this test, Edward Jenner found that some cowpox viruses work effectively in preventing smallpox. Only after this, Edward Jenner made the vaccine.

The first smallpox vaccine was made in 1796. However, this disease continued to affect people widely for 200 years. The World Health Organization (WHO) implemented a strict regular vaccination program to slow down the infection rate of this virus. After which, no case of smallpox has come to light since the year 1977.

In the year 1980, WHO declared smallpox completely eradicated, although the government and health agencies still have samples of smallpox virus for research purposes.

(Read more - Understanding Childhood TB: A Guide for Parents)

Varicella vaccine is an effective and safe method that helps protect children and adults from infectious diseases like chickenpox. This vaccine develops immunity in the body, which greatly reduces the risk of smallpox infection, and even if infection occurs, its symptoms are mild. Usually, children are given this vaccine for the first dose at the age of 12-15 months and the second dose at the age of 4-6 years. This vaccine not only provides individual protection, but also increases herd immunity, which reduces the spread of infection. There may be minor side effects like mild fever or slight swelling at the injection site, but its benefits are greater. It is necessary to get vaccinated on time as per the doctor's advice so that children can stay safe and healthy.