Data from the pre-vaccine era, roughly before the mid-20th century, shows that infectious diseases were a leading cause of death, particularly among children. Around 1900, nearly 20% of children died before their fifth birthday with diseases like measles, diphtheria, and pertussis being common causes.
Vaccines first came out in 1796, when English physician Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine for smallpox, using cowpox to provide immunity, a method he published in 1798 and coined the term “vaccination” from the Latin word for cow. While the concept of inoculation existed– the action of immunizing someone against a disease by introducing infective material, microorganisms, or vaccine into the body– Jenner’s scientific approach marked the birth of modern vaccination, with more vaccines appearing slowly until rapid advances in the 20th century led to widespread use.
Recently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human services, (HHS) has decided to remove certain vaccines from the recommendation list, such as, COVID-19, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, the flu, rotavirus, and meningococcal vaccines. He stated that there were too many shots in the current schedule. The listed vaccines had not been banned, but simply taken out of common process, making it so you now have to speak with your doctor before getting vaccinated.
Before the widespread use of vaccinations, it was common for more than 20% of youth to pass away before their fifth birthday. Infectious diseases were the main causes of premature death. In the 1800’s the population reached 1 billion due to vaccinations and other factors, such as agriculture, and the industrial revolution. However, the growth was slow, compared to the 20th century, where major medical advances took place.
Since then, we now have vaccines that can prevent us from getting diseases that could have possibly been more deadly if not handled. Removing some vaccines is an official policy shift to limit the number of routine vaccines for all children, aligned with the schedules of a few neighboring nations like Denmark. Vaccines have been an efficient tool and have protected us from illness for many years. Staying up-to-date on vaccines reduces the chance of getting sick from preventable diseases. Although some diseases have been largely eradicated from the U.S. like polio, they can still exist in areas with low levels of vaccination.
