Believe it or not, living until age five used to be difficult. And it wasn't that long ago. In the early 1900s, 30% of all deaths in the U.S. occurred in children under five, according to data . Thankfully, that number has since declined sharply. In 1999, 1.4% of deaths in the U.S. were in children under age five—still a tragedy, but the significant progress is important and, in large part, because of vaccines.
About 2.5 million deaths in children under age five were prevented because of measles, polio and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccines, the CDC reports .
While children receive vaccines early in life, adults of all ages are eligible for vaccines, such as for COVID-19 and the flu. The RSV vaccine is available to adults ages 75 and older and individuals between ages 60-74 with certain conditions. In short, vaccines are important for everyone.
"Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools modern science has to fight disease," says Dr. Linda Yancey, MD , the director of infection prevention at the Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston.
Yet, a groundswell of misinformation has led to vaccine hesitancy. Participants in a 2023 Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania survey reported feeling less likely to consider getting measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), pneumonia and COVID-19 vaccines safe today than they were in 2021.
Another study of people in Florida found that people were less likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine if they were exposed to high amounts of misinformation.
Dr. Yancey says it's important to fight misinformation so that people can make informed decisions about their health and their children's health. She shared the top vaccine myth she wishes people would stop believing (and cleared up a few others while she was at it).
Related: The Vaccine Doctors Want Every Single Person
The Biggest Vaccine Myth To Know About
Dr. Yancey wants to debunk the idea that vaccines are "unnatural." "Nothing could be farther from the truth," Dr. Yancey says. "Unlike medicines such as acetaminophen or antibiotics or chemotherapy that are chemicals we put into our bodies, vaccines are tiny pieces of molecules that stimulate natural immunity to protect us."
Now, a quick caveat: Medication like chemotherapy has its place in medicine and can significantly extend people's lives.
"A lot of things we do are unnatural. For example, toothpaste and chemotherapy are not naturally occurring but important in maintaining our health," Dr. Yancey says.
However, the fact remains that vaccines are not "unnatural," an idea that can fuel hesitancy in a world where "natural" (foods, beauty, the list goes on) is considered "superior."
Wait, but how are vaccines natural? "Vaccines allow us to use the most advanced disease-fighting machine in the world: our immune systems," Dr. Yancey says. "Vaccines allow us to use our natural disease-fighting defenses to their very best effect. Nature has honed these tools over many, many years to fight off the bacteria and viruses that attack us and our children every day."
Think of vaccines as a coach for your immune system. "Our immune systems are a natural part of us—they are born with us," Dr. Yancey says. "They learn and grow at the same time we do. Like us, our immune systems become stronger over time as they identify and fight off more and more pathogens trying to harm us. This is why babies have to be protected—they have an immature immune system that needs time to get stronger."
Ditto for the immune systems of adults, who get an immunity boost from COVID-19 and flu shots as recommended by their doctors.
Related: 7 Myths About Fevers Doctors Wish People Would Stop Believing
3 Other Vaccine Myths, Debunked
1. It's better to get the disease than the vaccine
Dr. Yancey says the rumor that you get "better" immunity from catching a disease is false. "A vaccine is an early warning signal to the immune system," Dr. Yancey says. "It lets the body produce immunity before it encounters the disease itself. Forewarned is forearmed."
You know those recurring dreams about being today years old when you learned you had a biology exam (despite not being in school for years)? Consider those nightmares a reality sans vaccines. "Walking into an exam that you haven't studied for is a bad idea," Dr. Yancey says. "Running into a pathogen that you haven't prepared your immune system for is a bad idea, too."
2. The flu shot gives you the flu
This, quite simply, is absolutely not true. "The influenza vaccine is a killed virus vaccine," Dr. Yancey says. "You are as likely to get influenza from the flu shot as your boiled egg is to hatch into a chicken. It is not going to happen. What people do get is a slightly sore arm and some fatigue for a day. This is not influenza."
The CDC also notes that the flu vaccine is not a live virus.
3. It's better to wait to get sick to treat the illness
Dr. Yancey says it's vital to combat this vaccine myth as it can cost people their lives—and that's not hyperbole or fear-mongering. "This is a bad idea for things like influenza and COVID that could kill you," Dr. Yancey says. "The body takes time to build protective immunity. That is why the vaccine that forewarns the immune system is so important."
In short: "The best illness is the one you never have, Dr. Yancey says.
Helpful Resources
At times, people who are hesitant about vaccines can be reduced to memes or not-so-playful ribbing. However, it can be challenging to sift through all the noise about immunizations, and understandably, you want to make the best choices for your health (and the health of any applicable children). Informed consent is crucial, but having the correct information to make these decisions is essential, too.
Dr. Yancey recommends looking at the CDC website for vaccine information and scheduling options for people of all ages. Primary care physicians and pediatricians can also provide information customized to your and your children's needs, which is why it's so important to find a trustworthy provider.
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