Vaccines and Infection Prevention: What Natural Products Cannot Replace

Overview

This page is an educational overview, not personal medical advice. Which vaccines you need depends on your age, health, pregnancy status, travel and local public-health guidance. Your clinician or national immunization schedule is the place to confirm that. We could not read the US CDC schedule pages in this review, so the vaccine facts below come from the World Health Organization, MedlinePlus and the NHS.

How vaccines work

Vaccination is a way of protecting you against harmful diseases before you come into contact with them, using your body's natural defenses. [1] Vaccines train the immune system to create antibodies. Because they contain only killed or weakened forms of germs, they do not cause the disease. [1] The immune system then remembers the germ and can respond quickly if you are exposed. [1] Most vaccines are given by injection, but some are given by mouth or sprayed into the nose. [1] See how the immune system works.

Why they matter

WHO lists diseases vaccines protect against, including influenza, measles, hepatitis B, cervical cancer, COVID-19, tetanus and polio. It estimates that childhood vaccines alone save over 4 million lives every year. [1] Not everyone can be vaccinated, for example very young babies and people who are seriously ill or have certain allergies, and they depend on others being vaccinated. [1] WHO advises not waiting until an outbreak, as there may not be enough time for the vaccine to work. [1]

Strength of evidence: established recommendation from major public-health agencies.

Flu vaccine as an example

The NHS says the flu vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be serious or life-threatening, and recommends it for groups at higher risk. These include people 65 or over, pregnant people, people with certain long-term conditions, and people with a weakened immune system. [2] The flu vaccine does not prevent colds. [3] Eligibility rules differ by country and year; check your own health service. See colds, flu and respiratory infections.

Everyday hygiene

The NHS calls washing hands one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and others from illnesses such as flu. It recommends about 20 seconds with soap and water, and alcohol-based hand sanitiser if soap and water are not available. [4] Colds spread through coughs and sneezes, and the germs can live on hands and surfaces for 24 hours, so using tissues, binning them quickly and not sharing towels or cups also helps. [3] If you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough for normal activities, staying home helps protect others. [3]

What natural products cannot replace

No supplement, herb, tea, mushroom product or diet is shown in the sources we read to replace vaccination. For example, NCCIH says elderberry has been promoted for COVID-19 but there is no good evidence to support that, and the FDA and Federal Trade Commission have acted against companies making unproven claims. [5] The NHS says there is not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D solely to prevent or treat COVID-19. [6] A product that claims to replace a vaccine or a prescribed treatment is a warning sign. See immune safety and when to get help and evaluating safety claims.

When to get help

Talk with a clinician or pharmacist if you are unsure which vaccines apply to you, or if you have a weakened immune system (the NHS flu vaccine page lists that as a reason to be vaccinated, and a clinician can advise on others). [2] WHO advises talking to a healthcare worker about catching up if you have missed recommended vaccinations. [1] Also see immunodeficiency and autoimmune conditions.