Vaccination - GCSE History Definition

Vaccination is a medical process where a person is given a small, safe dose of a virus or bacterium to help their body learn how to fight that disease in the future. This process strengthens the immune system, making it easier for the body to protect itself if it comes into contact with the real disease later on. The term vaccine comes from vacca - the latin word for cow. This is because the first vaccine used matter from cow pox blisters to make people immune from small pox. Vaccines have been important in history because they have helped to control or even eliminate many dangerous diseases, such as smallpox and polio, saving millions of lives. For GCSE History students, understanding vaccination is important because it shows how medical advancements have shaped public health and society over time.