Do Vaccines Protect you from Disease? (WJEC GCSE Biology)

Vaccination Programmes

• People are most commonly vaccinated in childhood

• It is up to the parents to decide whether or not to have their child vaccinated

• People may be influenced by many factors including:

  • The science behind the vaccine

  • Media representation

  • Perceived risks and benefits

Arguments for vaccinations

• Vaccines not only protect the vaccinated individuals, they also reduce the likelihood that an infected individual will spread the pathogen to others

  • If a large proportion of the population is vaccinated, it is unlikely that an unvaccinated individual will become infected with the pathogen

  • This concept is referred to as herd immunity and can prevent the spread of the disease

• Vaccines have reduced the cases of certain diseases drastically or even eradicated many diseases worldwide

  • This includes smallpox, measles, mumps and tetanus amongst many others

• There are hopes for the future eradication of several other diseases through vaccination programs

  • This includes polio, HIV, malaria and COVID-19

Arguments against vaccinations

• There are some disadvantages to vaccinations that reduce how effective vaccination programs can be

  • Vaccines may only be effective for a limited time

  • Vaccination doesn't always give immunity

  • Sometimes parents may have difficulty accessing certain vaccinations or may be required to pay for the vaccination

  • Parents may have concerns about other conditions which have been linked to the vaccination e.g. the MMR vaccine

    • The MMR vaccine is a vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella that is usually given to young children

    • A study published in 1998, the findings of which were based on 12 children with autism, concluded that the MMR vaccine might cause autism. It was later found that one of the doctors who worked in this study was acting as a consultant to some parents of autistic children who were suing the pharmaceutical companies that produced the vaccine

    • Following this study there has been much research into finding a link between autism and the MMR vaccine, no such link has been found

    • The media hype surrounding the original study resulted in a wave of parents who refused the MMR vaccine

  • Side-effects of vaccinations can reduce the uptake in the population

• Low uptake of vaccinations reduces the chances of herd immunity being achieved