They're among the safest therapies we have (tested on an exceptionally large scale and must pass rigorous safety measures), and one of the best (most efficacious and most cost-effective) public health measures that exists. Infectious diseases used to kill humans in droves, however with the introduction of vaccination, death rates for most of these diseases plummeted. Antibiotics and antivirals also play a major role in the statistics of decreasing death rates from infectious disease, however the effect of vaccines in prevention of disease is orders of magnitude more powerful. Prevention is far better than cure.
(Stolen from Yaneer Bar-Yam on Twitter, using the COVID vaccine as an example.)
For more information about vaccine safety, the CDC has a fairly comprehensive collection of the peer-reviewed data
The CDC has a recommended vaccine schedule for adults, however it is pretty cumbersome. Below is a summary of some of the vaccinations that most adults will encounter. I recommend and personally receive
I don't know why, but this one seems to evoke the most sense of hesitation from patients. Whether it's "that vaccine doesn\'t work" or "I got the flu from the flu shot," excuses are rampant, and generally bogus. Yes, the efficacy could be better (and is based on the CDC "best guess" of what strains will be active that year), but it can significantly decrease one's risk of influenza infection. Plus, if one does catch an influenza infection, their symptoms are generally milder. It is a myth that one can catch influenza from the current vaccine, as it is an inactive form of the vaccine. In other words, the vaccine is virus particles and not intact whole virus. Some reasons why people think they've gotten the flu from the flu shot: a) feeling malaise (crummy) for 1-3 days afterward may happen in a small subset of patients, for unclear reasons and b) it takes roughly 2 weeks to develop a robust immune response to influenza - if patients are exposed to influenza within those first two weeks, they may not yet have immunity. Additionally, the "I've never gotten the flu, so I don't need the flu shot" is an illogical argument - lack of infection in the past is not indicative of similar future outcomes. As an analogy - would you remove the airbags from your car simply because you haven't gotten into an accident in the past?
This vaccine confers immunity against the most common bacterium that causes pneumonia: Streptococcus Pneumoniae (AKA Pneumococcus). This is recommended for everyone over age 65, although patients with certain underlying conditions may get the vaccine earlier. Since bacterial pneumonia is a common cause of hospitalization and death in older populations, this vaccination is highly recommended. It is now, with the introduction of the Prevnar 20 (PCV20) vaccine, a "one-and-done" vaccine, meaning you only have to ever get it once in your lifetime.
This vaccine helps prevent the tetanus infection, which can cause severe muscle paralysis if untreated. It is recommended once every 10 years as a booster, although certain cuts/lesions, including exposure to rusty metal, may warrant earlier vaccination. All pregnant women between 27-36 weeks gestation should also get this vaccine, as should family members expected to be in close contact with the infant
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is a somewhat unique virus, in that it has been linked to many types of squamous cell cancers, including cervical cancer (in women), head/neck cancer, and anal cancer. Therefore, the benefit of this vaccine is cancer prevention. Think about that for a moment - this is remarkable- and proves the immune system's important part in cancer surveillance and protection.
This vaccine can be given at any age 9-45 (although those of younger generations typically get it around age 11-12). It is recommended for both men and women.
The COVID vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) is an mRNA vaccine, meaning it uses viral particles and is NOT a live virus. mRNA vaccines are among the safest and most effective types of vaccines, and help to trigger a robust immune response.
This vaccine in particular has been in the national spotlight due to the COVID pandemic and due to concerns over safety of the vaccine, especially since it was developed so rapidly. Large scale clinical trials have proven these vaccines to be safe, and they are both FDA-approved (no small feat!) for adults.
To be explicit about some specific concerns:
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