3. Why are vaccines important for public health?
Vaccines save lives
Vaccination has saved more lives and prevented more serious diseases than any other advance in recent medical history.1
Vaccines prevent up to 3 million deaths worldwide every year.2
With vaccines, we have eliminated polio from most countries3 and eradicated smallpox completely.4
Vaccination protects people you care about
When you get vaccinated, you are protecting yourself and your family as well as those in your community who may not be able to be vaccinated .
Vaccination slows the spread of disease
When most people in a community get vaccinated, it is difficult for infectious diseases to spread, because there are not many people who can be infected.5
