**Note**: I just got my Flu and COVID-19 shot, so I’m not anti-vax, just curious to know more from people who are better educated on vaccines than I am.
I understand that it’s important for our immune systems to be exposed to viruses in order to build immunity, but why is it that diseases like Polio, Measles, Mumps, and Smallpox are basically nonexistent (save for random outbreaks) while thousands of people will get colds and flus each year and the best we can do is get a flu shot, wash our hands, mask in public spaces and hope you don’t come into contact with someone who’s sick? Could it ever be possible to make a vaccine that completely prevents people from getting colds or flus?
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Essentially because the common cold is not caused by a single virus.
It’s a whole bunch of different viruses that just happen to infect the same parts of the body and result in the same symptoms – runny nose, sore throat, coughing and wheezing, fatigue, etc.
Some of them are different classes of type of viruses. Some of the viruses work in different ways, target different receptors, or trigger different responses in the body. This makes it difficult to find a One Size Fits All type of cure – any attempt at a ‘cure’ would probably need multiple vaccines or many different medications taken at the same time as a sort of “Whack A Mole” type strategy to cover all possible bases.
The reality is, the common cold is annoying but not dangerous for the overwhelming majority of people. You’re sick for a few days and then you get better. So it’s more practical to simply manage the symptoms, focus on getting rest and keeping up your fluid intake, and let the disease naturally run its course.
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