What is a vaccine?
A vaccine is a preparation that stimulates the bodys immune response against diseases. It is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting individuals against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them. Vaccines work with the bodys natural defenses to build protection by training the immune system to create antibodies, just as it does when exposed to a disease. They contain killed or weakened forms of germs like viruses or bacteria, which do not cause the disease or put individuals at risk of its complications. Most vaccines are administered through needle injections, but some can be given orally or sprayed into the nose. Vaccines are crucial in preventing a wide range of life-threatening diseases and are a key component of primary health care and an indisputable human right. They are also vital in the prevention and control of infectious disease outbreaks and underpin global health security. Vaccines are important because they protect individuals against many serious diseases and also contribute to community immunity. Immunization, which is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation, is the process by which a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination.
