Nearly 1,000 years ago, when Europe and Asia faced a deadly smallpox epidemic, Chinese physicians looked to find a solution. They began to expose healthy individuals to a small dosage of smallpox tissue and found that these individuals were now less likely to get infected by the virus in the future. What these physicians had ultimately done was develop the first form of a vaccination, referred to as a “variolation.” Vaccines have since been improved and now act as one of the most effective way to prevent the emergence of viral infections and diseases. Previously fatal viruses such as polio, measles, and even the flu are now easily preventable through vaccinations.

This year, the flu vaccine is receiving a wide range of controversy as the strain of the virus is more severe than previous years, and the vaccine is less effective than scientists hoped it would be. Thus, many people are questioning if they should get vaccinated for the flu, as it may not even protect against the virus. While this is true in some cases, getting vaccinated will severely decrease one’s chance of obtaining the flu virus. Sophomore Jolie Gutstein adds, “Getting the flu vaccine can save you from contracting a dangerous illness, so I think that everyone should get it. While it might not guarantee you immunity, it still decreases your chances of getting sick. Ultimately, is better to be safe rather than sorry when talking about your health.”

Also, getting vaccinated can lead to a wide range of immunization benefits. Flu vaccination not only can prevent one from getting infected with the flu virus, but it can also help fight off the virus if one contracts the flu after being vaccination and prevent his or her illness from worsening. However, many people still feel that the flu vaccine is not essential despite the potential benefits it has. Sophomore Casey Shea states, “I never get the flu shot, because I just do not find it necessary since it is not 100% effective.” As referred to by Shea, there have been many reports that the vaccine this year is only 10% effective; however, this is based off Australia’s flu season and does not reflect how vaccine effectiveness in America. According to the January 29 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) article entitled “Frequently Asked Flu Questions 2017-2018 Influenza Season,” the CDC predicts America will have a similar vaccine effectiveness from last year, ranging from 32% to 39%. While these numbers are not perfect, getting a flu vaccination can still potentially save an individual from a sickly virus.

Most importantly, receiving a flu vaccination can greatly benefit those around you. While it is unlikely that a healthy adult will die from the flu, other categories of people are at a much higher risk if they contract the virus. Specifically, the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people, which are people who have impaired immune systems, are threatened by the flu. It may be difficult for these specific people to get immunized, so they become dependent on healthy individuals to get vaccinated. Sophomore Maria Russotti stated, “Getting your flu shot is really important because while a flu virus may not be deadly for you, it can be deadly for others such as the very old, or the very young. Getting vaccinated can prevent them from getting infected.” This is known as herd immunity, where people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons must rely on those who can be vaccinated to prevent from getting sick.

Ultimately, the flu vaccine can only benefit the generally public. Though it may not always be effective, it is worth taking the chance to prevent the emergence of a dangerous virus. If we have a tool that can prevent fatal diseases, why not use it?