No one likes going to the doctor and getting shots. It is a pain we all felt, and the reason that makes me dread the beginning of a new school year. Even though vaccines they hurt, and I don’t like getting them I know that they are important. Not only to myself, but to others as well. So, what are vaccines? Vaccines are a partially dead or completely dead pathogen; sometimes bacterial, like the vaccine for meningitis, and sometimes viral, like the chicken pox vaccine. How do they work? When I think of how a vaccine works I picture it as if it is some ancient battle. The evil germ is weakened and have no chance to win against the immune system. Your body takes out the virus with ease, and learns from the attack. It upgrades its weapons (cells and antibodies) and keeps the enemy's battle plan, so if the invaders were ever to return they would never stand a chance. Vaccinations are important because they protect the person who gets it — and also people who don't. Some people can’t receive vaccinations because of other medical issues. Those who can’t have a shot can still be safe from infection, because of something called "herd immunity." Herd immunity is the idea that if a large group of people are immune to an infection, then the infection will not be able to exist within it; which will protect those who aren’t immune to it. Vaccines can reduce or eliminate some viral or bacterial infections. One example of this is with the Polio virus. Polio once ravaged the U.S. It infected and killed lots of people. Then there was a vaccine developed for it and now there are almost no cases today. Another example is the smallpox virus, which was completely eradicated. It's strange to think of a pathogen as something good for you, but a vaccine contains a virus or bacteria, and it helps protect you from the infections that can lead to more severe problems. Would you rather have a tiny prick, or end up in the hospital?
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AuthorMy name is Katie Flexer, and I will be researching vaccinations. Archives
April 2018
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