A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by employees at a Houston hospital who did not want to be vaccinated for COVID-19, claiming that COVID-19 vaccines are unsafe. In the June 12, 2021, ruling, U.S. district Judge Lynn Hughes rejected the lead plaintiff’s claim that the vaccines are experimental and dangerous.
This case is indicative of how many people believe that the COVID-19 vaccine could either kill or harm them in some way. But as scientists in public health, infectious diseases and vaccine development, we know that these claims are not just false – they are lethal. In the U.S. today, the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 occur among the unvaccinated.
Over the course of history, vaccines have allowed humanity to successfully combat viral diseases, some to the point of eradication. Here, we break down the role that vaccination plays in the fight against infectious disease and illustrate how the benefits far outweigh the risks.
Revving up the immune system
Vaccines are one of the most innovative public health interventions in medical history. They activate the most effective human weapon against viruses that exists – our own immune system.