Five Surprising Moments in Vaccine History

The article that will be discussed in this brief essay is the Five Surprising Moments in Vaccine History, written by Anna Rothschild. In this article, we are informed and educated about the introduction of vaccinations in the United States, and the evolution of vaccinations over the course of history, since the 1700s when they were first created. Going into greater depth, the author highlights the skepticism that surround vaccines, as well as the major advancements in vaccine technology. Additionally, the author, Anna Rothschild, is an award-winning science journalist who created educational series such as "Gross Science", therefore, it is safe to say that her reasoning and sources are very reliable.

In the most simple form, and as mentioned in the introduction, this article explains a series of educational videos on vaccines, and goes into depth about the history of vaccines, the creation of them, the skepticism, and the evolution of vaccine technology. One element of the writing that really stood out to me was the evolution of vaccines. She mentions that 'post-1800s', with the acceptance of germ theory, vaccines began to be developed'. It is interesting to know that vaccines have not existed for masses of time, and in fact they are still developing.

What really barked out at me, was the realisation that vaccines are still young, and in turn, we are still developing and exploring them. I really wonder how doctors make the vaccine 100% reliable without testing it with humans, as other animals are likely to have different reactions to the vaccine as us. That being said, it is commendable that despite this, there have been many vaccines, like the malaria jab, that have protected people from the disease. In regards to critical thinking, the author clearly has high levels of it as she is investigating the history of vaccines, and challenges the common misconceptions. Moreover, she critically evaluates historical data, and modern data, to provide readers with a comprehensive perspective on why vaccines are made, and the importance to the health of the world.

Finally, with the videos that are provided within the article, we get various perspectives on vaccines as a whole. For example, in the first video, the audience is provided with a large overview on why people may be scared/nervous of vaccines. To be entirely honest, I do understand where this argument comes from, especially how the video mentions 'severe side effects and health concerns'. However, going against this, we are provided with another video that describes the ingredients of vaccines, such as 'weakened parts of an organism', and further learn how this is useful to strengthen the body. These two videos go hand in hand for arguing both sides of the argument. Furthermore, with the final video, Are Vaccines Safe, we are given almost a hybrid of the first two videos. The video addresses the concerns, as well as the answers, to those invested in this topic, and actually was my favourite video.