vaccine

/'væksi:n/

Thân thiện

A doctor administers a vaccine to a child in a clinic.

Definition

Noun: A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease. It typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins, or one of its surface proteins. The agent stimulates the body's immune system to recognize it as a threat, destroy it, and "remember" it, so the immune system can more easily recognize and destroy any of these microorganisms that it later encounters.

Usage

A vaccine is administered (e.g., injected, given orally, or sprayed into the nose) to prevent disease. It is a key tool in public health for immunization and the eradication of diseases.

Examples

• The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is given to children.
• Scientists worked rapidly to develop a safe and effective vaccine against the new virus.
• Widespread vaccine coverage can lead to herd immunity, protecting those who cannot be vaccinated.
• Before traveling, it is advisable to check if you need any specific vaccines.

Advanced Usage

• Vaccine hesitancy: A delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccination services.
  • Public health campaigns aim to address vaccine hesitancy through education.
• Vaccine efficacy/effectiveness: A measure of how well a vaccine works in clinical trials (efficacy) or in the real world (effectiveness).
  • The reported vaccine efficacy against severe disease was over 90%.

Variants and Related Words

• Vaccinate (verb): To administer a vaccine to (a person or animal) to produce immunity against a disease.
  • The clinic will vaccinate all eligible residents this weekend.
• Vaccination (noun): The act of administering a vaccine; the fact of being vaccinated.
  • Childhood vaccination schedules are recommended by health authorities.
• Immunization (noun): The process by which a person or animal becomes protected against a disease, often through vaccination.
• Antigen: The substance in a vaccine that triggers the immune response.

Synonyms

• Immunization (when referring to the agent itself)
• Inoculation
• Shot (informal, for an injectable vaccine)
• Jab (informal, British English)

Related Phrases

• Booster vaccine / Booster shot: An additional dose of a vaccine given after the initial series to maintain or renew immunity.
  • Adults are advised to get a tetanus booster shot every ten years.
• Vaccine passport: A document providing proof of vaccination, sometimes required for travel or entry to venues.

Related Idioms

• (To be) a shot in the arm: This idiom, meaning something that boosts or revitalizes, is related through the concept of an injection. While not exclusively about vaccines, it uses the imagery of a medical shot.
  • The new government funding was a real shot in the arm for the research program.

Học thuật

Noun

1. immunogen consisting of a suspension of weakened or dead pathogenic cells injected in order to stimulate the production of antibodies

Từ đồng nghĩa

• vaccinum