Vaccines

• How have vaccinations changed the way we fight disease?

  They allow us to prevent diseases before they occur.
• What is the primary benefit of vaccination?

  Vaccination can protect from future infections.
• What happens when you are infected with a new pathogen?

  • White blood cells take a few days to learn how to deal with it.
  • During this time, you can become very ill or even die.
• What do vaccinations involve?

  Vaccinations involve injecting small amounts of dead or inactive pathogens.
• What is the purpose of injecting dead or inactive pathogens in vaccinations?

  They carry enough pathogen material for antibodies to attack without causing illness.
• What does the MMR vaccine contain?

  Weakened versions of three viruses that cause measles, mumps, and rubella.
• Why does the MMR vaccine not make you ill?

  Because it contains weakened versions of the viruses.