Vaccines

What exactly is a vaccine, and how did a country doctor, a milkmaid and a cow change medicine forever? In this episode of Five Minute Gist, we break down how vaccines train your immune system, and the story of Edward Jenner's smallpox experiment in 1796. We also cover what vaccines have achieved, including an estimated 154 million lives saved over the past 50 years. We look at the real risks, from common mild side effects to rare serious reactions. We explore why some people are wary, from trust and misinformation to personal beliefs, and why it matters as measles cases rise in the U.S. Finally, we ask the big question: are vaccines a modern-day miracle?

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