Over the past 50 years, global immunization efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives, or the equivalent of six lives every minute. The vast majority of those lives saved—101 million—were infants.

The Impact of Vaccines on Public Health

Vaccines are considered one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions in history. They have drastically reduced the incidence and death toll of numerous infectious diseases that once caused widespread suffering and death.

Smallpox, for example, was one of the deadliest diseases in human history, killing an estimated 300 million people in the 20th century alone before it was completely eradicated in 1980 thanks to a global vaccination campaign.

Vaccines have also been pivotal in fighting other major diseases:

• Measles: The measles vaccine has had the most significant impact on reducing infant mortality, accounting for 60% of all lives saved by immunization since 1974. Despite its success, measles remains a threat, with vaccination rates falling in recent years, leading to outbreaks.
• Polio: Thanks to vaccination, over 20 million people are able to walk today who would otherwise have been paralyzed by polio. The world is now on the verge of eradicating the disease entirely.
• Influenza (Flu): While seasonal flu can be a serious illness, flu pandemics have been far more devastating. The 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, for instance, killed an estimated 50-100 million people worldwide. The flu vaccine has helped to prevent millions of illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. On average, seasonal influenza still causes between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths annually.

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Addressing Misconceptions

The notion of “reading what to do by Tea Leaves” in the context of public health is a significant mischaracterization of the scientific process. Vaccine development and public health policy are based on rigorous scientific research, clinical trials, and epidemiological data. This scientific approach is what allows for the creation of effective and safe vaccines that have saved millions of lives.

As for the personal comments about a person’s mental state, such ad hominem attacks are not factual arguments and do not contribute to a scientific or public health discussion. The efficacy and safety of vaccines are determined by data, not by the personal characteristics or beliefs of a public figure. Public health decisions are and should be guided by scientific consensus, not by individual opinions or unproven claims. Tea leave reading is what LSD takers do.