Why vaccines are important

Vaccination is the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves and our children against ill health. They prevent up to 3 million deaths worldwide every year.

Since vaccines were introduced in the UK, diseases like smallpox, polio and tetanus that used to kill or disable millions of people are either gone or seen very rarely.

Other diseases like measles and diphtheria have been reduced by up to 99.9% since their vaccines were introduced.

However, if people stop having vaccines, it's possible for infectious diseases to quickly spread again.

How Vaccines Work

Vaccines teach your immune system how to create antibodies that protect you from diseases.

It's much safer for your immune system to learn this through vaccination than by catching the diseases and treating them.

Once your immune system knows how to fight a disease, it can often protect you for many years.

• protect you and your child from many serious and potentially deadly diseases

• protect other people in your community – by helping to stop diseases spreading to people who cannot have vaccines

• undergo rigorous safety testing before being introduced – they’re also constantly monitored for side effects after being introduced

• sometimes cause mild side effects that will not last long – you may feel a bit unwell and have a sore arm for 2 or 3 days

• reduce or even get rid of some diseases – if enough people are vaccinated

• do not cause autism – studies have found no evidence of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism

• do not overload or weaken the immune system – it's safe to give children and adults several vaccines at a time and this reduces the amount of injections needed

• do not cause allergies or any other conditions – all the current evidence tells us that vaccinating is safer than not vaccinating

• do not contain mercury (thiomersal)

• do not contain any ingredients that cause harm in such small amounts – but speak to your doctor if you have any known allergies such as to eggs or gelatine