An infectious disease and internal medicine MD says multiple long-term illnesses can be prevented with this simple choice.
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5 surprising reasons to get vaccinated (and the health benefits you might not expect)
1. Some vaccines protect against certain cancers
Most people think of vaccines as a way to prevent infections, but some also play a powerful role in lowering your risk of cancer by targeting viruses that can trigger it.
The HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine is best known for protecting against cervical cancer (2020 data noted the shot has helped reduce rates of this cancer by 90% among those vaccinated young), yet its benefits extend well beyond that. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and involving nearly 3.5 million people found that HPV vaccination also reduces the risk of head and neck cancers in men and boys, making it an important cancer-prevention tool for both women and men.
Another example is the Hepatitis B vaccine—it prevents chronic Hepatitis B infection, a leading cause of liver cancer worldwide. “Both the HPV vaccine and the Hepatitis B vaccine prevent cancer by reducing the inflammation in the cervix and liver respectively,” Dr. Yancey says.
Just as smoking inflames the lungs and raises lung cancer risk, long-term infections like HPV and Hepatitis B inflame tissues over time, creating conditions where cancer can develop. By stopping these infections before they start, vaccines help break this cycle of inflammation and protect your long-term health.
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2. Vaccines can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke
“The flu shot can prevent heart attacks and strokes,” says Dr. Yancey. “There is a strong association between the flu shot and people having fewer heart attacks, especially in people who have already had one.” In fact, a 2023 meta-analysis published in Scientific Reports involving more than 9,000 patients found a 26% lower risk of heart attacks and a 33% reduction in cardiovascular-related deaths among those who received the flu vaccine.
Again, the reason lies in inflammation. When you get the flu, your body responds with widespread inflammation, which can put significant strain on the heart and blood vessels. For people with underlying conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, that added stress can be enough to trigger a cardiac event. “So getting that flu shot can prevent a heart attack this winter,” Dr. Yancey says.
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3. Vaccination helps fight against antibiotic resistance
One of the less obvious—but critical—reasons to get vaccinated is the role vaccines play in slowing the rise of antibiotic resistance.
“Even viral infections can lead to bacterial superinfections that need antibiotics,” explains Dr. Yancey.
Take influenza as an example: while the flu itself is caused by a virus, it can weaken your immune system, paving the way for secondary bacterial infections such as pneumonia or sinusitis. These infections often require antibiotics to treat.
But the more we use antibiotics, the more opportunities bacteria have to evolve and become resistant. “Antibiotics are a ‘use it and lose it’ situation,” Dr. Yancey says. “Every time someone anywhere in the world uses an antibiotic, there is another chance of driving bacterial resistance.”
By preventing the initial viral infection through vaccination, you also reduce the likelihood of developing a secondary bacterial infection, and therefore reduce the need for antibiotics. This helps preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for when they’re truly necessary.
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4. Vaccines protect vulnerable people in your community
Another key reason to get vaccinated goes beyond personal health: you’re also protecting those around you.
“For people with weak immune systems like newborns, cancer patients, and the elderly, the best protection against disease is having everyone around them immunized,” says Dr. Yancey.
This principle is known as herd immunity or community immunity, according to the Mayo Clinic. When enough people in a population are vaccinated, the overall circulation of a disease drops. That makes it harder for outbreaks to occur, and it creates a safety net for individuals who are too young, too old, or too sick to receive certain vaccines themselves.
“It creates a zone of protection,” Dr. Yancey explains. You’re not just protecting yourself; you are protecting your newborn niece or nephew, your elderly grandparents, and those in your community with weakened immune systems due to various health conditions.
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5. They can prevent serious, long-term complications
Another important reason to get vaccinated is their ability to prevent long-term complications from infectious diseases—problems that were once devastatingly common but are now rarely seen thanks to widespread immunization.
Dr. Yancey points out several examples:
- Before the mumps vaccine, boys who caught mumps risked permanent infertility.
- Polio often left children permanently paralyzed.
- Rubella infections during pregnancy led to severe birth defects.
- The Hepatitis B vaccine prevents liver failure.
- The chickenpox vaccine not only protects against chickenpox in childhood but also prevents shingles decades later.
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The bottom line: Why should vaccines be required?
Vaccines lower your cancer risk, protect your heart, fight antibiotic resistance, safeguard your loved ones, and prevent serious complications, among so many other benefits. That’s why vaccines are considered essential to public health. By protecting both individuals and communities, they ensure that future generations grow up healthier and safer.
Dr. Yancey also drives this point home. “Every winter I lose two or three patients to influenza pneumonia,” she says. “The vast majority of these are middle-aged men.” Children and older adults are generally well-vaccinated, and women often receive vaccines during regular checkups. But, she notes, “otherwise healthy adult men don’t tend to see a doctor regularly, and that leaves them vulnerable.”
Influenza and other vaccine-preventable illnesses can strike even the healthiest adults. As Dr. Yancey says, “Even if you don’t get it for yourself, get that flu shot for your family.”
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