(c) Anthony K. Grafton 2003

Germs, Vaccines, and You

Have you ever had to get a shot? Did the doctor tell you it was a vaccine or immunization? The small sting from that shot can help protect you from germs that could otherwise leave you sick in bed for days or even weeks. And its not just people that get vaccines. When we take our pets to the veterinarian, they usually get shots to help them stay healthy, too.

Vaccines are usually made of weakened germs or parts of germs. When you get a vaccination, your body’s immune system gets introduced to that disease for the first time without you having to get sick. Once your body gets to know that germ through a vaccination, it will recognize it in the future and will remember how to fight it off. But if you don’t get vaccinated, the first time your body sees the germ is when you actually get sick.

For some germs, your body remembers how to fight them off for a long time after you get vaccinated. For other germs, your immune system may forget how to recognize them, and you may need to get a new vaccination, called a “booster”, to occasionally remind your body what that germ looks like.

So the next time you or your pet has to get a vaccination shot, remember that a little sting now can help protect against germs for years to come. Do you know what germs you’ve been vaccinated against? What about your dog or cat?