Centuries ago, the absence of vaccines and vaccination caused men to suffer from various infectious diseases, which led to a high mortality rate. As a result, men had to scout for natural, traditional and other means to immune themselves against disease outbreaks.
But with vaccines coming to light, there have been proven records of protection over certain diseases, including measles, polio, and tuberculosis. Growing up, I can vividly remember a time I was vaccinated. I can't really tell what age, but the mark is still evident on my right upper arm to date. Recently I discovered the name of that vaccine to be Bacillus Calmette-Guérin or BCG vaccine, a vaccine used to protect one against tuberculosis.
Vaccination plays a crucial role in eradicating and controlling diseases and infections. Aside from that, the delicate ones (like infants and older adults) are protected from the risks of disease outbreaks.
However, over the years, many myths and misconceptions about vaccines have sprouted, leaving people to doubt the authenticity of vaccines. Some of these myths are:
This brings me to counter the last myth. Although I was not given the Covid vaccine, my Uncle was given it. And that evening, he complained of a slight headache. And if you must know, having a headache or feeling sick are side effects of vaccines. In his case, I can say it was completely normal to have such feelings. However, I believe that the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine gave people the impression that the vaccine was actually a way to inject the disease into humans.
Vaccines are not one hundred per cent effective. You can re-read that if you want to. On the contrary, with the administration of vaccines, the body is made to produce antibodies that immunize the body against further foreign infections.
In conclusion, while there are known side effects of vaccination, these effects are often short-lived, and only in rare cases are they severe.
My take again? Vaccination is very crucial for a healthy living. And even though you get infected with a disease, you do not have to suffer severely as a vaccinated person.
