Why do we need to be vaccinated?

    Herd immunity is one of the most important benefits of vaccines and one of the most ignored benefits when people make the choice not to vaccinate. When enough people in a population are vaccinated, it makes it more difficult for germs to spread from person to person (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2017). Herd immunity is especially important for those who are unable to get vaccinated due to autoimmune diseases or other conditions. A common misconception is that we do not need to be vaccinated if we have not seen a disease in a long time in our area. As we live in a more global society, travelers can bring diseases from other places, putting people at risk in places where these diseases have disappeared (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services 2017). It is important that people continue to get vaccinated in order to keep the herd immunity strong.

     Herd immunity is an upstream approach to healthcare. Rather than addressing the issue after people have already contracted the disease, vaccines that create herd immunity ensure that people don't get sick in the first place. The upstream approach helps to prevent a widespread epidemic.