Vaccines can prevent illness, but their effectiveness varies; some block illness completely, while others only lessen the severity of the disease.
Understanding Vaccine Efficacy
Vaccines are designed to protect individuals from infectious diseases. However, the way they provide this protection can differ. Here's a breakdown:
- Complete Prevention: Some vaccines, when effective, can completely block the disease. This means that vaccinated individuals will not contract the illness even if exposed to the pathogen.
- Reduced Severity: Other vaccines may not prevent infection entirely, but they can significantly reduce the severity of the illness. This means that vaccinated individuals may still get sick, but they are less likely to experience severe symptoms, complications, or hospitalization.
COVID-19 Vaccine: An Example
The COVID-19 vaccine serves as a good example of a vaccine that primarily reduces disease severity. According to the provided reference:
Whereas some vaccines effectively block illness, other vaccines only prevent the most severe form of a disease. An example is the COVID-19 vaccine, which does not keep you from getting infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID, but can help prevent you from getting dangerously sick from that virus.
While the COVID-19 vaccine doesn't always prevent infection with the coronavirus, it dramatically decreases the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
Key Takeaway
Therefore, the statement that "vaccines prevent illness" is generally true, but it's crucial to understand the nuances of vaccine efficacy. Different vaccines offer different levels of protection, ranging from complete prevention to reduced severity.
