By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
Vaccines are in the news now. It’s not necessarily because it’s vaccine season. It’s more because there are those who want to take them out of our healthcare delivery system.
People like me, who are part of the old school, have been taking vaccines since childhood. It was simply a way of life. We called them “shots”. We would go to the doctor’s office, roll up our sleeves, cringe and have the shot.
Some healthcare professionals would come to our school, and we could have them there as well. The needles used today are much thinner than those used back in the day.
Upon reflection, the pre-hype about taking them was greater than the experience. I, along with my friends, bought into the angst and apprehension of getting the vaccines.
Getting the vaccines was a part of our school record. You couldn’t attend school without them. And of course, that left us with no choice. Our parents certainly weren’t going to keep us at home.
During the early days, we received vaccines for polio, tetanus, whooping cough, diphtheria, and smallpox. As we understood it, the vaccines were for our protection. We never questioned our parents’ wisdom and decision-making.
I don’t ever remember having any side effects or sickness because of these vaccines. We were always healthy. At most, we had arm soreness, but that soon dissipated. There weren’t any stories in our neighborhood about health problems and children because of these vaccines.
Another important vaccine was for the influenza virus. Records show that early on, the vaccine was primarily used for military personnel. Subsequently, it was used by everyone.
Each year, there is a different vaccine given for this virus, commonly referred to as the flu. I know people who take a flu shot every year. These shots are given at healthcare facilities and drug stores as well.
Some folks have chosen not to take a yearly flu shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 43.1% of adults and 43.7% of children took the flu vaccine during 2024 and part of 2025.
So, many Americans are not taking this precaution. It is my opinion that people are self-medicating and staying away from traditional vaccines. It will be interesting to see if this continues.
Much has been said about COVID-19, which happened a few years ago. According to reports, 1 million Americans have passed away in this country because of it. We all know someone whose life was cut short because of the Coronavirus.
A vaccine was created that stemmed the tide of its spread. It was a lifesaver in my opinion. My family took the vaccine, and thankfully, we didn’t suffer from it. Some people decided not to take this vaccine. Some are still with us, while others aren’t. Immune systems were compromised.
There have been debates about the effectiveness of this vaccine for COVID-19. Personally, I side with those who have a scientific background and can interpret the data.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been at the center of the vaccine discussion. Criticism and conjecture have been at his doorstep. The Secretary of Health and Human Services has been challenged by both Democrats and Republicans.
Recently, Secretary Kennedy appeared before the Senate Finance Committee to discuss Covid-19. The record shows that he fired all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. He has replaced them with those who are aligned with his philosophies on healthcare and vaccines.
Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana and member of the committee, was troubled by the comments of Secretary Kennedy. Senator Cassidy is a medical doctor.
It is my thinking that the American people still want vaccines to be available. We want them and our children need them.
