Raising Generations’ Immunity Community Project
On the 6th and 7th of November 2024, the Medical Analysis Department, Faculty of Applied Sciences at Tishk International University (TIU) organized a community project titled “Raising Generations’ Immunity,” aimed at educating local high school students about the importance of vaccination and strategies to enhance their immune systems.
The seminar was presented by Dr. Tola Faraj, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences. The community project was held at Cambridge International School on two different days. During the seminar, Dr. Tola emphasized the vital role of vaccines in preventing diseases and the necessity of building strong immunity, especially among younger generations. He explained how vaccinations work and addressed common misconceptions surrounding them, urging students to make informed health choices.
He also explained about the types of vaccines including, inactivated or killed vaccines that contains pathogens that have been killed or inactivated so they cannot cause illness but still provoke an immune response; examples include the polio and hepatitis A vaccines. Live attenuated vaccines where weakened forms of the virus or bacteria are used, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, to stimulate immunity without causing disease. Subunit, recombinant, or conjugate vaccines include only parts of the pathogen, such as proteins or sugars, which help the immune system recognize and fight the disease; an example is the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. mRNA vaccines, like those used for COVID-19, use a small piece of the virus’s genetic material to instruct cells to produce a harmless protein that triggers an immune response. Each type of vaccine plays a crucial role in preventing infectious diseases and protecting public health.
Dr. Tola also provided students with resources to further explore topics related to health and immunology, encouraging them to engage in discussions with their families and peers. This initiative is crucial for empowering our youth with knowledge that can help them lead healthier lives.
Keywords: Immunity, Health, Medical Education, Education, Higher Education, Vaccinations, Learning
