Learn how vaccines work and can be used for infectious disease control with this online course for healthcare professionals.

- Duration2 weeks
- Weekly study2 hours
- 100% onlineTry this course for free
The Role of Vaccines in Preventing Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Resistance
Explore the impact of vaccines on infectious diseases and AMR
Vaccines are instrumental in protecting people against infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). On this course, you will investigate the role of vaccines in preventing these diseases and explore case studies that demonstrate successful strategies.
After taking this course, you will understand how vaccines work and are used globally in low, middle and high-income countries. You will also appreciate the factors influencing the availability and uptake of vaccines and understand the important role they play in managing infectious diseases and preventing AMR.
Syllabus
Week 1
Vaccines & Control of Infectious Diseases
Welcome and Introduction
This first activity introduces you to the course and educators and provides some useful tools for use during the course.
Introduction to Vaccines
Introduction to what vaccines are, how they work and how they benefit the population.
National Prescribing Programmes
Introduction to national prescribing programmes, how they differ in different countries and apply throughout lifetimes, not just childhood.
Vaccines Implementation & Delivery
Vaccines delivery and implementation, initiatives to maintain good uptake and barriers that contribute to poor immunisation levels.
End of Week 1
End of week 1
Week 2
Optimising Vaccine Use for AMR and Infectious Disease Control
Welcome to Week 2
Welcome to week 2 of the course.
When Vaccine Schedules Break Down
Causes behind vaccine schedules breaking down with examples.
The Role of Vaccines in Pandemics and Outbreaks
Find out how vaccination can play an important role in controlling outbreaks and pandemics of infectious diseases.
Vaccines, Antimicrobial Resistance and Future Pipelines
What is antimicrobial resistance and how do vaccines play a role in preventing and reducing AMR.
End of Week 2
End of week 2 quiz and summary of week 2 topics.
End of Course!
Summary of the course.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and learn at your own pace. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explain the basic principles of how vaccines work
- Evaluate the impact of vaccines on infectious diseases
- Describe how vaccines are currently used in higher and lower income countries
- Describe the factors that influence vaccine deployment and uptake
- Assess the potential pipeline of future vaccine development to prevent AMR and infectious diseases
- Evaluate the challenges for novel vaccine development
Who is the course for?
This course is for healthcare professionals working in any setting and individuals interested in gaining more knowledge on vaccines and how they save lives.
What do people say about this course?
Excellent first week! Should be mandatory for all GPs / clinicians to suggest similar course for all expecting parents!
Sarah V
I am impressed with the delivery of this course and the informative videos. I have learnt so much about vaccine availability in other countries that I have not really thought about before.
Anonymous
Previous learner on this course
Who will you learn with?
I am an Academic Clinical Lecturer in Infectious Diseases & Microbiology at the University of Oxford with a research interest in the development of novel vaccines.
I am a practising infection doctor interested in antimicrobial stewardship, microbiology, TB and vaccine uptake. My research interest is vaccine immunology in adults.
Learner reviews
Join this course
Free
Join free and you will get:
- Access to this course for 4 weeks
Upgrade
Upgrade this course and you will get:
- Access to this course for as long as it’s on FutureLearn
- A print and digital Certificate of Achievement once you’re eligible
Unlimited
Buy Unlimited and you will get:
- Access to this course, and hundreds of other FutureLearn short courses and tests for a year
- A printable digital Certificate of Achievement on all short courses once you’re eligible
- The freedom to keep access to any course you've achieved a digital Certificate of Achievement on, for as long as the course exists on FutureLearn
- The flexibility to complete your choice of short courses in your own time within the year
Find out more about upgrades or Unlimited.
Available until 1 Apr 2021. T&Cs apply.
Get a taste of this course
Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:
Do you know someone who’d love this course? Tell them about it...
You can use the hashtag #VaccinesAMR to talk about this course on social media.