Vaccines strengthen your child's natural immunity. Used in their smallest but most helpful form, vaccines boost a child's natural defenses against illness. Vaccines train the immune system to find and fight off dangerous bacteria and viruses that invade the body.
Minor side effects are normal. Common side effects, like pain at the injection site, fever, and feeling tired, are signs that the immune system is learning how to protect the body from disease. These minor side effects often only last 1-3 days, if they even happen at all.
Vaccines are safe and effective. Vaccination throughout childhood is a safe, effective, and easy way to equip children's immune systems to recognize and resist disease so they can live healthy lives throughout adolescence and into adulthood.
Vaccines are tested many times to make sure they are safe and effective before they are used. Vaccines are studied before approval and continue to be monitored for safety after they are available to the public.
Vaccination keeps our community safe. A disease is less likely to spread in communities where most people are vaccinated against the disease. Some vaccines can even wipe out disease.
We all benefit from widespread protection against diseases like smallpox, mumps, and polio, thanks to vaccines. With many vaccines, when we vaccinate ourselves and our children, we protect others around us, too! Many vaccines work best when everyone in a community who can be vaccinated, is. This protects those who are most at risk in our community, such as children who are undergoing cancer treatment or who have immune system problems.
When kids are healthy, they can focus on growing, learning, and thriving! Routine immunizations help keep kids, families, and our whole community health. Immunizations are vital to helping our immune systems recognize and resist disease.
American Academy of Pediatrics: https://www.healthychildren.org/english/safety-prevention/immunizations/pages/default.aspx
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines-children/index.html
Vaccinate Your Family: https://vaccinateyourfamily.org/
VaccineInformation.org: https://www.vaccineinformation.org/
Voices for Vaccines: https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/