Do Vaccinations Really Matter?

As counterintuitive as it is, vaccinations have been politicized with misinformation flooding social media channels. However, most reasonably well-educated people understand that science continues to be our best avenue to understanding human health, especially as it relates to immunization.

As one 2020 medical study reminds us, the direct benefits of childhood vaccination in reducing the burden of dangerous and even deadly diseases effectively and inexpensively are well-established.

What most people may not know, however, are the additional benefits immunizations offer. For example, new evidence suggests that the measles vaccine may improve immunological memory and prevent co-infections, which occur when an individual is targeted by two or more different pathogens−such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites−at the same time. This dual infection can lead to more severe symptoms and medical complications.

By improving immunological memory, the measles vaccine forms a protective shield against other infections, consequently improving health, cognition, academic and work-related outcomes well into the adolescence and adulthood in low-income settings.

In fact, scientists reference numerous studies in which vaccines are positively associated with improved cognition and academic performance, suggesting benefits of long-term improved economic productivity.