Vaccines are a fantastic way to protect yourself and your community against preventable diseases. Every year they save thousands of lives both directly and indirectly.
There are various misconceptions surrounding vaccines that need to be disproved for our own good and that of society as a whole. Knowing the facts will enable us to make educated decisions for ourselves and our families.
1. Vaccines don’t cause autism
Many parents mistakenly believe that vaccines cause autism, but this is simply untrue. Studies have confirmed that MMR vaccine is safe for children to receive.
The controversy around vaccines and autism began in 1998 with a study linking MMR vaccination with autism; later retracted and its author losing his medical license.
Since that time, more than a dozen studies have ruled out any correlation between vaccines and autism. These studies looked at various ingredients found in vaccines as well as how children respond when receiving multiple vaccinations at once.
Researchers have also established no link between autism and thimerosal, once used as a preservative in many vaccines, and its removal from most vaccines. Most Americans agree with scientists’ assessment that vaccination is safe and effective, making vaccination an imperative choice. It’s therefore so essential we vaccinate our children today.
2. Vaccines aren’t safe for pregnant women
Pregnancy changes the way that your immune system functions, making you more susceptible to infections that could threaten both you and your baby during gestation. Vaccines may help protect you both during gestation from harm that might otherwise arise due to infections.
Vaccines provide protection from certain diseases by using small doses of dead or weakened viruses and bacteria to train your immune system to recognize and fight future threats. Therefore, it’s vital that all necessary vaccinations be received prior to pregnancy, as well as speaking with your healthcare provider regarding any additional ones that might be safe during gestation.
Some vaccines, such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines aren’t safe during gestation as they contain live viruses that could enter through your placenta and affect unborn baby’s developing system, potentially leading to Congenital Rubella Syndrome.
3. Vaccines aren’t effective
Vaccines may not be 100% effective, but they’re very safe and help to safeguard everyone. Therefore, it is wise to get vaccinated as soon as you become eligible.
Vaccinations provide important protection from disease for babies, children, and adults alike. By strengthening the memory of your immune system and making sure it remembers what steps to take next time around. Receiving multiple doses of the same vaccine gives almost everyone optimal protection against infectious disease.
Certain vaccines use weakened or dead viruses or bacteria to teach your immune system how to recognize and combat future outbreaks of illness caused by these microorganisms. While they cannot cause illness themselves, they provide your immune system with enough practice that it’s ready for the real thing when the time comes.
Some live vaccines (such as measles, mumps and rubella) require multiple doses for optimal immunity development – this process is known as herd immunity. Two doses will enable everyone in your group to build stronger protection and ensure everyone benefits equally from herd immunity.
4. Vaccines are dangerous
Vaccines provide protection from infectious disease by stimulating the body’s natural defense mechanisms and helping limit disease spread by limiting how many people come in contact with it.
Most vaccines contain small doses of weakened or killed viruses, bacteria, or parasites to stimulate the immune system into producing antibodies to protect against the disease they contain. When given as injections, vaccines have an amazing success rate in protecting people against illness.
Giving our bodies immunity against infection provides a very safe approach to dealing with infectious diseases.
vaccination programs have seen diseases that were once far more widespread dramatically decrease due to vaccination efforts, though many of them can resurface when immunization rates drop.