OPINION: I’ve recently read a fascinating little book called Vaccines and Vesicles: a History of Smallpox Vaccination in New Zealand. It’s written by historian Claire Le Couteur.​Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by two variants of the variola virus, Variola major and Variola minor. We know vaccines do an excellent job of protecting the individual from the disease they got the vaccine for. That then protects those members of our community who are too vulnerable to be vaccinated themselves. You’ll often hear this benefit of vaccination referred to as “herd immunity’” I think that’s an awful term.

Source: Stuff July 19, 2020 17:02 UTC