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English 9: The Invention of Vaccines and How it has Affected Our World

The invention of the vaccination has been around for almost 300 years to modern day.Invented in 1796 by an English physician named Edward Jenner, the vaccine has saved manylives, aided the world through the worst of epidemics and pandemics, and even eradicated a fewof the deadliest viruses and diseases known to exist. 

The vaccine has been around for close to three centuries, and it has managed to save many of usfrom deadly viruses. According to cdc.gov, a vaccine as simple as the influenza vaccine hasmanaged to prevent as many as 10 million people from catching and dying from the flu in2018. Because of the flu vaccine and the herd immunity gained through citizens gettingvaccinated annually, many individuals who have compromised immune systems have avoidedthe worst cases of infections. In addition to saving lives, the strongest of vaccines and herdimmunity systems have also managed to eradicate multiple global pandemics. 

Avoiding and eradicating diseases and viruses that caused deadly epidemics and pandemics havebeen a big part of our world's medical history. Pandemics happen when a virus or a diseasebecomes out of control and spreads across the world uncontrollably. One of the worst casescould be seen in the Smallpox pandemic (est. 6th to 18th Century) caused by the variolavirus(1). The pandemic killed an estimated 300 to 500 million people within its approximate12,000 year span before Jenner introduced the Smallpox vaccine to the world in 1796.According to cdc.gov, the vaccine was used across the world despite lack of vaccine donationsfrom those who could afford them, commitment from countries, and funding from the public.The world was finally eradicated of this dreadful disease in 1977 in Africa, where the last caseof Smallpox was known to exist. The 33rd World Health Assembly stated in 1980 that theeradication of this disease was one of the biggest achievements to international public health.Now, samples of this disease only remain in licensed and registered labs in Georgia and Russiaunder the close watch of the WHO. They are saved in case there is another outbreak, and thesesamples would be used to make vaccines for future use. 

The world has countless inventions that have contributed to the health of our society, and oneof them is the vaccine. Ever since its birth in 1796, the world has seen less disease-related deathsand illnesses, viral diseases and has even been ridden of the deadliest viruses that cost manypeople's lives. Although getting vaccinated might hurt for a few days afterwards, you could saythat it would be worth it for the public's health.