What are vaccines?
Vaccines are shots, liquids, pills, or nasal sprays that you take to teach your body’s immune system to recognize and defend against harmful germs.
There are vaccines to protect against
- Viruses, like the ones that cause COVID 19 and the flu
- Bacteria, like tetanus and diphtheria
Why are vaccines important?
Vaccines are important because they protect you against many diseases. Since these diseases can be very serious, it is safer to get immunity from a vaccine than from getting sick with the disease. And for a few vaccines, getting vaccinated can give you a better immune response than getting the disease would. Vaccines not only protect you; they also slow the spread of diseases. This can help others, particularly people at higher risk for getting seriously sick from COVID-19.
Are vaccines safe?
Vaccines are safe. They must go through extensive safety testing and evaluation before they are approved in the United States.
