From the surprising origins of the smallpox vaccine to the current state of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, here’s what you need to know.
1. The smallpox vaccine was the first successful vaccine to be developed
The foundation of the smallpox vaccine started in 1796 when the English doctor Edward Jenner learned that dairymaids who had suffered from cowpox were seemingly protected from smallpox. He tested his theory on 8-year-old James Phipps by inoculating him with the cowpox virus from a dairymaid’s lesions and later with the smallpox virus. James never developed smallpox despite multiple exposures.
Dr. Jenner went on to complete additional experiments and publish his findings. Smallpox was declared officially eradicated in 1980.
2. Over 222 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the United States
As of April 23, 53% of adults have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 35% are fully vaccinated, per the CDC. Widespread vaccination will help Americans develop herd immunity, making it harder for the virus to spread from person to person. Getting vaccinated is also a safer way to build protection and end the pandemic than getting sick with COVID-19.
3. Immunization saves 2-3 million lives globally each year
Immunization is one of the safest and most effective ways to protect individuals against a variety of potentially life-threatening diseases, including measles, tetanus, and polio. Depending on the type, vaccines may be administered orally or by injection, but both methods achieve the same result: training your immune system to fight off certain diseases.
The CDC’s recommended immunization schedule ensures children and young adults receive long-term protection against multiple diseases, saving countless lives and hospital visits each year.
4. Getting vaccinated protects moms and their babies
Pregnant mothers share more than just nutrients and oxygen with their babies. They also transfer immunity for some diseases that protect newborns during their first few months of life.
The CDC recommends that pregnant women get vaccinated against whooping cough, the flu, and COVID-19 to protect babies that are too young to receive their own vaccination.
5. There are 25 (and counting!) vaccines available for certain diseases
There are dozens of approved vaccines for everything from yellow fever to influenza and more than 20 vaccines in the pipeline. While vaccine development timelines and methods vary, new technologies are helping to speed the development of certain vaccines, including those for COVID-19. Regardless of the development process used, all vaccines are held to the same safety and effectiveness standards and go through rigorous testing before receiving approvals.
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Sources:
- https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/history/history.html
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1200696/
- https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/immunization
- https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pregnancy/vacc-during-after.html
- https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/03/study-shows-covid-19-vaccinated-mothers-pass-antibodies-to-newborns/
- https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/embrace-the-facts-about-vaccines-not-the-myths
- https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/schedules/reasons-follow-schedule.html
- https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html
- https://www.who.int/teams/immunization-vaccines-and-biologicals/diseases
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/04/23/cdc-recommends-covid-vaccine-pregnant-women/
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/pregnancy.html