Vaccines have certainly been in the news more than is typical lately, thanks to their important role in preventing the spread of COVID-19. But this is only the most recent example of the importance of vaccines.

People have used vaccines, also known as immunizations, for centuries to stop the spread of illnesses. It’s not an overstatement to say that they have literally changed the course of history.

A Long and Important History

When you look back at the history of immunizations, it actually goes back much further than you may realize. The College of Physicians of Philadelphia notes that the Chinese were practicing the earliest forms of immunization for smallpox as early as the year 1000. Two other notable milestones in more recent vaccine history were when Edward Jenner used cowpox material to create immunity to smallpox in 1796. Then, Louis Pasteur developed a successful rabies vaccine in 1885.

In the 20th century, the methods developed by these pioneers became widespread, and the creation of vaccines increased widely. Tetanus, typhoid, yellow fever, flu, diphtheria and polio are just a handful of the many diseases for which vaccines were developed in the early 1900s. Soon, vaccines were not only saving millions of lives but actually eradicating diseases entirely.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) notes that another important development in the history of immunizations is the creation of safety guidelines, rules and regulations for the development, approval and implementation of vaccines. Many of these standards were created after the passage of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NCVIA) in 1986. This landmark bill established the guidelines for the important safety standards and rules that exist for vaccines today.

Why Vaccines Are So Important

Getting your children their recommended vaccines is a key part of their health and well-being. Vaccines not only protect your children from dangerous and life-threatening diseases, but they also contribute to herd immunity and help protect the entire community from those diseases. This is especially important for infants and young children who don’t have the acquired immunity yet to fight certain illnesses.

Even as your children grow older and enter adulthood, following vaccine recommendations remains very important. For example, getting an annual flu shot protects both you and the community from the risks of flu. After all, we’re all busy and active people: Who has time to get sick?

Why to Consider COVID-19 Vaccination

When it comes to the vaccines for COVID-19, the same concepts discussed above apply. COVID-19 vaccines not only lower your risk of getting the disease and spreading it, but they also reduce your chances of getting very sick or dying from COVID-19. The vaccines have been thoroughly tested and have now been shown to be safe in children as young as 5 years old.

COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to work just as immunizations have throughout human history: By lowering the risk of getting a deadly disease not only for you, but for everyone in the community. And the more people who get vaccinated, the more successful we will all be at reducing the spread of the disease.

Be sure to speak to your doctor about which immunizations are right for you and your family, as well as when you should get vaccinated.