Vaccines

How they work and prevent outbreaks

Pathogens are disease causing organisms like viruses, bacteria and

fungus that infect our body. When these pathogens infect the body,
the immune system of our body fights against the pathogens and
destroys them. The immune system produces antibodies that fight the
organisms that enter our body. For different kinds of pathogens,
different kinds of antibodies are required. So if a new kind of virus or
bacteria that the immune system hasn’t seen before attacks us, the
immune system requires time to produce the specific antibodies that
can fight against them. Once the body produces antibodies in its
primary response to an antigen, it also creates antibody-producing
memory cells, which remain alive even after the pathogen is defeated
by the antibodies.

Vaccines contain weakened or inactive viruses (or other pathogens).

So when a person is given the vaccine, the immune system of that
person starts to produce antibodies required to fight that virus or
bacteria, thereby creating memory cells. So if the virus or bacteria
attacks the person, the immune system produces the antibodies
quickly since it already knows which antibodies are required to destroy
the deadly organisms.

Virus or bacteria spread from person to person easily. When many

people in a community are vaccinated, they stop spreading the virus
thereby preventing outbreaks. This is especially important because
some people can have a weak immune system or cannot get
vaccinated due to various reasons. If the people around them are
vaccinated, there is a less tendency for them to get infected. This is
how vaccines prevent outbreaks. There are examples where vaccine
can eradicate some diseases like smallpox which was declared
eradicated by WHO in 1980.