Vaccines

How do vaccines work?

Put simply, vaccines work by putting your immune system through a “training run” for fighting off some of the most dangerous communicable diseases in the world. To understand vaccines, it helps to think about how your body creates natural immunity. 

When you’re exposed to potentially dangerous bacteria, viruses, fungi, or pathogens (known collectively as antigens), your immune system launches an immediate response. It creates special proteins called antibodies that attack the antigens in an attempt to prevent infection. 

Once the danger has passed, some of those antibodies remain in your system for the rest of your life. If you ever encounter that specific antigen again, your system is primed to fight back quickly and effectively. 

Vaccines work by triggering this process without exposing you to a full outbreak of a particular disease. The vaccines you receive during childhood create a strong and resilient immune defense that is ready to spring into action if and when needed.  

How do I know which vaccines are right for me and my child?

Germantown Pediatric and Family Medicine delivers childhood vaccines according to the guidelines established by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. These guidelines are created by some of the nation’s top health experts and reviewed multiple times each year. 

Childhood vaccines are administered on a specific schedule, allowing your little one to develop full immunity over time. There are also vaccines recommended for adolescents and adults. In some cases, you only need one or several shots, but in other cases, like the influenza vaccine, annual vaccination is the best way to gain optimal protection. 

Are vaccines safe?

A great deal of misinformation is out there about vaccines being unsafe for kids and adults. In reality, the scientific community in America and around the world agrees that vaccines are not only safe, but also play a central role in reducing death from communicable disease. 

When the majority of a community is vaccinated against a specific disease, that disease cannot effectively take control and spread. This is called “herd immunity” and is why vaccines benefit not just individuals but communities. 

If you have additional questions or concerns about vaccines or want a review of your immunization records, call the office to schedule a visit, or book online in just a few clicks.