Vaccines Courses

Why Learn About Vaccines

Vaccines are a component of public health care. They provide the immune system with an extra boost by mimicking the immune response to infectious diseases without the danger of contracting the illness. While vaccines have come under fire recently due to side effects and a public misunderstanding of vaccine trials, they remain a critical part of healthcare. Pharmaceutical companies are pursuing new vaccines every day to handle new pandemics, including the latest coronavirus, COVID-19. In the past, vaccines helped handle quite a few public health issues, including Measles, Rubella, and Pertussis. With each new crisis, companies begin a new process of finding vaccines to handle them.

Vaccine Courses and Certifications

EdX.org offers a variety of courses and programs designed in partnership with leaders in the field. You can participate on your own time from your location while learning from leading institutions in the United States and around the world. You can take part in KU Leuven's Vaccines: From Smallpox to Future Technologies, for example. You'll learn about the technologies involved in vaccines and the fundamental principles that go into building new vaccines. Tel Aviv University also has a course on Viruses and How to Beat Them, giving learners a comprehensive view of immunity and the role vaccines can play in public health. You'll complete the course with a foundational understanding of vaccines and how our development changes when building potential vaccines. You can also take a variety of courses designed to teach you about the diseases themselves as well as the system of public health. You can learn how healthcare workers implement health practices as well as other significant pieces of our healthcare system from development to implementation.

The Future of Vaccines

From the MMR to the new HPV vaccine, our understanding of vaccines has changed. The U.S. Department of Health considers vaccines to be a comprehensive part of our pursuit of public health. The Food and Drug Administration handles vaccine safety, and Health and Human Services has recommended immunization schedules for children and adults. Vaccine-preventable diseases no longer have sway over our health, and new vaccines can help with new diseases. edX can help you learn not only about the history of vaccines eradicating diseases like pertussis or even the Chickenpox. Vaccine development is still a hot field, so courses from edX could help put you on a path to make a difference with our public health.