Vaccination Pros Cons

Many wonder whether vaccines help or harm people. Vaccines are substances used to stimulate the body’s immune system. The vaccination process uses a weakened version of a disease to make the body begin to create antibodies to fight the infection. “Vaccines work by imitating an infection, causing the body to create antibodies to disease, thereby becoming immune to future infection” (Merino 7). This process allows antibodies that fight a certain disease to be in place when the real disease finds its way into the human body (Merino). People should be given vaccines because it prevents many diseases. Vaccines were discovered by Edward Jenner. He found a virus living on cows that would protect people from smallpox. This idea that using a mild version of a disease to prevent a larger disease like small pox translated into the vaccines that we use today (Allen). Vaccines are a way to prevent diseases that can cause harm to one’s body. The
Reactions to vaccines are extremely rare and vaccines work for most people. Vaccination saves people from getting sick and having to see a doctor by just using one injection. “Vaccines eradicated small pox and have nearly eradicated other diseases such as polio” (Vaccines). With only a small chance of a reaction compared to the possibility of spreading a contagious disease, people in society should be vaccinated. “… every year in the United States, 350 people are killed in bath- or shower-related accident, 200 people are killed when food lodges in their windpipe, and 100 people are struck by lightning. However, few of us consider eating solid food, taking a bath, or walking outside on a rainy day as unsafe activities. We just figure that the benefits of the activity clearly outweigh the risks” (Merino 30). This approach should be given to vaccines. Vaccination should be seen as an activity that benefits humans and only has only a small chance of negative