There has been a lot of talk about vaccines going around recently. Most of it has to do with recommendations on when to get which vaccine, but have you ever wondered what vaccines do? Or why are they considered essential?
It’s important to understand the purpose and the process of vaccines so that you can make the best decisions for yourself and your loved ones.
How Do Vaccines Work?
Vaccines help your body learn how to fight germs before you get sick. They contain a very small or inactive piece of a virus or bacteria. This piece cannot make you sick, but it teaches your immune system how to recognize the disease.
When your immune system sees this, it makes antibodies. Antibodies are special proteins that help your body find and destroy harmful germs.
If you are vaccinated and are exposed to the disease later, your body already knows how to fight it. This helps your immune system respond faster and protects you from getting very sick.
For example, the flu vaccine is recommended each year during flu season. Even if you still get the flu, the vaccine can help your body fight the virus more quickly and reduce how severe your symptoms are.
If you do not get vaccinated and are exposed to a disease, your body will take longer to produce the antibodies need to fight the disease off, and you will likely have worse symptoms and outcomes than you would have if you were vaccinated.
Why Do Vaccines Matter?
1. They help protect you from severe illness
Vaccines protect you from the most serious effects of disease. Sometimes people who are vaccinated may still get sick. However, their symptoms are often milder. This is because their immune system has already learned how to fight the virus.
2. They help protect communities from the spread of disease
Vaccines do not only protect the person who receives them. They also help protect people who cannot get vaccinated, such as those with weakened immune systems or severe allergies.
When many people in a community are vaccinated, diseases have a harder time spreading. This helps protect everyone. This type of protection is called herd immunity.
Vaccines are very important to keep yourself safe and keeping the people in your community safe. To learn more about vaccines, visit the World Health Organizations “Vaccine Explained” series.
Resources
“Explainers.” World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/teams/immunization-vaccines-and-biologicals/diseases/explainers. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026