<h5>What is vaccination, and how was it discovered?</h5>  <p>Vaccination is the process of administering a vaccine that prepares a person’s immune system to fight diseases. It prepares the natural defences of our bodies to fight specific diseases and strengthens our immune system. It is a simple and effective method of protecting ourselves against harmful diseases before they enter our bodies. </p>
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The concept of vaccination was discovered by Dr. Edward Jenner in 1796. During that time, a deadly disease called smallpox was rampant. It caused people to develop severe rashes and lesions all over their bodies, and even die in some cases. Dr. Jenner observed that people who had cowpox (a much milder variant of smallpox) were protected from smallpox. He injected a young boy with the fluid from a cowpox lesion and repeatedly exposed the boy to smallpox. However, the boy never developed smallpox. This discovery popularized the concept of vaccination. 
</p> <h5>How does our immune system work?</h5>  <p>Our bodies contain trillions of good bacteria and viruses. The immune system of our body is good at recognizing bad or disease-causing bacteria and viruses. This is because their shape is different from the ones that already exist in our bodies. </p>
<p>White blood cells start producing antibodies to fight unknown bacteria or viruses which may enter our bodies. Antibodies stick to their surface and kill or disable them. However, only antibodies that match the bacteria or virus work against them. Bacteria and viruses may multiply aggressively while the body produces matching antibodies.</p>
<p>Once the right antibodies are activated, the body starts mass-producing matching antibodies to counter the bacteria or virus till it is removed from the body. The body is under a lot of strain while this process is going on because of which we may experience symptoms like fever, cough, breathing difficulties, etc.</p>
<p>Even after the bacteria is removed, antibodies remain in the blood and some white blood cells turn into ‘memory cells’. These cells remember how they fought the bacteria or virus for a long time. If these bacteria or viruses enter the body again, the body fights them off so fast that we don’t even realize it. 
</p> <h5>How do vaccines work?</h5>  <p>Vaccines usually contain weakened or dead bacteria or viruses which do not pose any actual threat to our bodies. These trick white blood cells to start producing matching antibodies in response to the entry of the bacteria or virus. The entire process mentioned above is repeated. The body of a vaccinated individual fights off the actual bacteria or virus when it enters our body without making us ill. 
</p> <h5>Why are vaccines so important to society?</h5>  <p>Vaccines are critical to ensure the health and safety of humanity at large. Deadly viruses, such as the COVID-19, have a high tendency to spread to others near us. Vaccinating a large group of people helps keep the diseases under control and ensures that people stay healthy and safe. Therefore, it is very essential to ensure that all of us get vaccinated to prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses.
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Many serious diseases in the world can be avoided with the tiny prick of an injection. In this article, let's learn how vaccination protects us.

How Does Vaccination Work?

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