Wellness Watch – Vaccines

Vaccines have been an important part of healthcare for hundreds of years.  For centuries, people in different parts of the world attempted to prevent illness by intentionally exposing healthy people to smallpox.  In 1796, English physician Edward Jenner created the world’s first successful vaccine that was proven to protect against smallpox.

Vaccines have advanced significantly since then.  Those early vaccines used live but weakened viruses.  In the 20^th century, scientific breakthroughs led to the development of new types of vaccines that did not use live viruses, and, therefore, triggered immunity more safely.  The 21^st century brought advancements in genetic and molecular technology, including mRNA vaccines.  An mRNA vaccine, such as the COVID-19 vaccine, uses a small piece of genetic material called messenger RNA (mRNA) to instruct cells in the body to produce a specific protein that triggers an immune response.  Currently, we have vaccines that can prevent more than two dozen diseases.

The measles vaccine is a great example of vaccine effectiveness.  Measles is one of the most contagious viruses in existence, yet due to widespread vaccination, measles was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000.  Watch this video featuring Dr. Derek Heard to learn more about the measles vaccine and vaccines in general.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends numerous childhood vaccines, from hepatitis to polio to chickenpox.  Click here to see the recommended immunization schedule for children from birth through six years of age.

Older children and teens need vaccines, too.  You can find recommended immunizations for them here.

The CDC has plenty of information about adult vaccinations as well.

All vaccines go through rigorous testing to ensure they are safe and effective before they are approved for general use.  Visit this site for safety information about various vaccines.