Vaccines have saved more human lives than any other medical invention in history. There is a lot of speculation around vaccines and finding credible resources can be challenging so we want to change the narrative and focus on facts.
Immunisation currently prevents 3.5 million to 5 million deaths every year and they are the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and our children against ill health.
A 5C's model has been used to explain why people are hesitant about being vaccinated.
- Confidence: the person's trust in the vaccines efficacy and safety, the health services offering them and the policy makers deciding on their rollout.
- Complacency: whether or not the person considers the disease itself to be a serious risk to their health.
- Calculation: the individual's engagement in extensive information searching to weigh up the costs and benefits.
- Constraints (or convenience): how easy it is for the person in question to access the vaccine.
- Collective responsibility: the willingness to protect others from infection, through one's own vaccination.
Trivia answers
TRUE! The first vaccine was invented by Edward Jenner in 1796. He developed the smallpox vaccine by using material from cowpox sores to create immunity against smallpox. This method was a significant breakthrough in medical science and laid the foundation for modern vaccination.
TRUE! The process of developing and approving a vaccine involves several stages, including exploratory research, pre-clinical testing, clinical trials (Phase I, II, and III), regulatory review and approval, manufacturing, and continuous monitoring for safety and effectiveness
FALSE! One of the biggest myths about vaccines is the belief that vaccines cause autism. This myth has been thoroughly debunked by extensive research. Studies have shown no link between vaccines and autism. The origin of this myth can be traced back to a now-discredited study published in 1998, which has since been retracted due to serious procedural errors, ethical violations, and undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
TRUE! Robert W. Malone, M.D., M.S. mixes mRNA with fat droplets. He discovers that when human cells are added to this mixture, they absorb the mRNA and make proteins. Dr. Malone also finds that frog embryos absorb mRNA. These experiments are considered early steps in the eventual development of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines.
FALSE! Herd immunity refers to cases of an infectious disease slowing down and stopping when enough people in a population have immunity, either from getting and surviving a disease or from being vaccinated. Vaccinations are still necessary to achieve this. However, respiratory viruses like COVID-19 or Flu tend not to create herd immunity because they don't create the same strong, long-lasting immune responses.
TRUE! Three diseases that vaccines have significantly controlled or eradicated are smallpox, polio, and measles. However, in 2023, we saw measles cases on the rise and this is largely attributed to changing attitudes around vaccinating children against the potentially fatal disease.
FALSE! The technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is mRNA. Think of mRNA as an instruction manual for your body on how to make a specific protein — in this case, a small part of the “spike” protein that appears on the virus’ surface. This protein cannot cause infection, but it does teach your body to respond to the COVID-19 coronavirus, should you encounter it. The mRNA never actually enters the nucleus of your cells, where your DNA resides. Because the two don’t share the same space, the mRNA doesn’t interact with your DNA and therefore can’t alter it.
FALSE! Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to recognise and fight pathogens, such as viruses or bacteria, without causing the disease itself. When a person gets vaccinated, their immune system recognizes the antigen (a weakened or inactivated form of a virus or bacterium, or a small part of it) as foreign. This activates immune cells to produce antibodies and create a memory of the virus or bacterium. This process helps the body learn how to defend itself from disease without the dangers of a full-blown infection.