Smallpox, Measles and Covid Vaccines - History and Safety

Author: Kathleen M. Cleaver
Published: 6 Oct 2026
Publication Type: Instructive / Helpful

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This report traces the history of three landmark vaccines - smallpox, measles and Covid-19 - from variolation, an early practice in India and China, to the global eradication of smallpox in 1980. It draws on sources including Britannica, the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. The author is a former special education teacher whose sister has multiple disabilities. The report explains what is actually in the MMR and mRNA Covid vaccines and corrects common social media myths about microchips, metals and changes to DNA. It also confirms that the 1998 study linking MMR to autism has been debunked many times. The main finding is clear: vaccines prevent serious illness, disability and death, and getting vaccinated also protects people who cannot receive certain vaccines, such as those who are immune compromised or pregnant. Parents, caregivers, seniors, people with disabilities and families with loved ones in group care will find it a useful plain-language guide based on public health records and real experience.*

At a Glance

1 - The first measles vaccine was developed by John Franklin Enders in 1953 and licensed for public use in 1963.
2 - George Washington required his troops to be immunized against smallpox through variolation before they enlisted.
3 - When the first smallpox vaccine arrived, people were hesitant to take it because they feared the cowpox-based shot would turn them into cows.
4 - During Covid, an intermediate care facility for women with intellectual disabilities vaccinated its residents and staff. It then opened a vaccination clinic for families and first responders in the community.

Topic Definition

Vaccination: Vaccination is the process of giving a person a vaccine so the immune system learns to recognize and fight a specific disease without the person having to go through the illness itself. A vaccine may contain a weakened live virus, as the MMR vaccine does, an inactivated or partial form of a germ, or genetic instructions such as messenger RNA that teach the body's cells to make a harmless protein that triggers protection. Modern vaccination grew out of the older practice of variolation and was first demonstrated with cowpox material in 1796. When enough people in a community are vaccinated, disease spreads more slowly, which also protects infants, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems who cannot safely receive certain vaccines.

Overview

The Vaccine Quandary

Note: I chose the following three vaccines because of their importance to the science of vaccines. Smallpox was the first vaccine to eradicate a highly contagious disease. The measles and covid vaccines are the most controversial today.

First- A Little Bit of History

Smallpox is a highly contagious disease with no cure. Through the study of Egyptian mummies, scientists were able to develop vaccines and document cases of smallpox as early as 1350 BC. The practice of variolation, "a historical method of immunizing people by deliberately infecting them with material taken from an infected person can be traced back to the 10 or 11th century in India and China." (Britannica)This did not stop the spread of smallpox, but it did lead to milder cases. After losing many of his troops to smallpox,George Washington mandated that all troops,before enlisting in his army, be immunized against smallpox using the practice of variolation. In 1796, the first smallpox vaccine was demonstrated using the material from cowpox proven to be a less dangerous viral source. At first, people were hesitant to receive the vaccine fearing it would turn them into cows. The smallpox vaccine became mandatory for the general public in the early 1900s. It took 50 years to achieve global solidarity with countries working together to develop vaccines and inoculation programs. Finally, in 1980 smallpox was eradicated.

Measles, the most contagious disease for humans, can be traced back to the ninth century and became widespread during the 10th century as a result of global exploration. John Franklin Enders developed the first vaccine in 1953. It was licensed for public use in 1963. Dr. Maurice Hillerman developed an improved version of the vaccine in 1968. The vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella were combined into one vaccine (MMR) in 1971. The World Health Organization (WHO) worked to provide vaccinations and eliminate measles worldwide.

There was a setback in 1998 when an article was published linking the MMR vaccine to autism. This study has been debunked numerous times through well documented studies. There is a minimal risk of a benign febrile seizure 5 to 12 days after the shot when a fever would develop. These seizures are scary but harmless.

The MMR vaccine contains live weakened strains of measles, mumps and rubella designed to trigger an immune response without causing severe disease. The vaccine also contains sugars and hydrolyzed gelatin to maintain stability. The MMR vaccine is not recommended for those with hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine, those who are immune compromised or have an active febrile illness with fever and finally, anyone who has an active untreated tuberculosis or is pregnant or is planning to become pregnant.

The Covid vaccine is probably the most controversial and most politicized vaccine to date."Years of prior research on mRNA technology, combined with unprecedented global funding and teamwork, allowed scientists to design, test, and authorize safe vaccines in less than a year instead of the usual decade." (UC Berkeley School of Public Health) Contrary to social media, the Covid vaccine does not contain iron, nickel, cobalt, mercury, live virus cells, microchips, latex,eggs, gluten, gelatin or fetal cells. It does not change or alter DNA or other genetic material. The covid vaccine does contain messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) which helps your body build immunity to the virus. mRNA has been studied by scientists for years. That is why they were able to develop the vaccine at "warp speed". The covid vaccine also contains lipids, acids and acid stabilizers, salts and sugars. These ingredients are found in most foods we eat.

2-hydroxypropyl-B-cyclodextrin (HBCD) is a compound that helps to maintain the vaccine's active ingredients in a stabilized form. HBCD is also used in many other commonly administered vaccines, medications and cosmetics. HBCD contains glucose and starch. Finally, the Covid vaccine contains ethanol which is also used in medications and hygiene products.

While the Covid vaccine may not prevent you from catching the virus, it does prevent you from becoming seriously ill. We need to remember that the Covid was a new virus and a virus that is able to mutate and create new variants. Scientists and doctors had to work quickly to find a way to stop its deadly spread. Vaccines will change as new variants emerge.

Why Vaccinate - A Personal Experience

I grew up when our parents had to show proof of the smallpox vaccination by showing the scar the injection left behind. Children suffered the discomfort and pain of the measles, the mumps, chickenpox and rubella. It meant days in bed and missing weeks of school. While most children came through with no side effects, others suffered serious illness, disability and even death. At the age of three, I developed pneumonia after contracting chickenpox and had to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. It was a traumatic experience that stayed with me for years. A friend's young sister died of encephalitis after contracting the measles.

As an adult I worked as a teacher in the field of special education. Our school had to open a special unit for all the children who were affected by the rubella epidemic. My younger sister was born with multiple disabilities similar to the children affected by the rubella epidemic which occurred a few years after her birth. She also suffered a cerebral bleed shortly after her birth. This was before the vitamin K injection was officially recommended for newborn babies. Maybe if these vaccines had been available, she would not be disabled.

Fortunately, no one in my family contracted polio, but we did know people who were left disabled from the virus. Some who even recovered only to have the effects of the virus return later in life. The pictures of children in iron lungs were very scary. There was very little resistance to getting the polio vaccine because parents feared their children would catch the crippling disease.

Covid was the worst pandemic to hit the United States since the Spanish Flu of 1918-1919. My sister and daughter live in an intermediate care facility (ICF) for women with intellectual disabilities. The girls often came home for weekend visits. As I watched the news of this novel virus spreading across our country, I began to contemplate if the girls should come home or if they should stay at the ICF where medical care was readily available. Then came the phone call. I could bring the girls home, but they would not be allowed to return for two weeks. I decided they were safer at the ICF. Two weeks turned into two years! In the beginning, Covid hit the facility hard. The staff scrambled for personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing equipment. They turned one of their buildings into an isolation facility. When the vaccine became available not only did they vaccinate the residents and staff, they set up a vaccination clinic for the families and first responders in the community. The vaccine did not wipe out Covid, but it decreased the severity of the illness and number of infections. During those two years I connected with my daughter through facetimes and organized drive-bys. My sister had Covid twice; my daughter had the antibodies but never tested positive for the infection. I lost a good friend to Covid after she caught it from her daughter who was an essential worker.

Conclusion

Social media and the politicization of vaccines is putting our children at risk. Vaccines work! There are people who cannot receive certain vaccines. Getting vaccinated not only protects you; it protects the people who cannot get vaccinated.

Sources:

National Park Service - History of Vaccines
Washington Library - Center for Digital History
Britannica
UC Berkeley School of Health
World Health Organization
Good Rx Ingredient Guide
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
UC Health - Covid 19 Resources
National Geographic

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)

What is herd immunity and how does it relate to vaccination?

Herd immunity happens when enough people in a community are immune to a disease that it can no longer spread easily. For highly contagious diseases like measles, about 95 percent of the population needs to be immune to protect those who cannot be vaccinated.

At what age do children usually receive the MMR vaccine?

The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at 12 to 15 months of age and the second at 4 to 6 years of age. Adults without evidence of immunity may also need one or two doses.

Can adults and seniors still get measles?

Yes. Adults who were never vaccinated and never had measles can catch it, and complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis are more common in adults and people with weakened immune systems.

How long does protection from the MMR vaccine last?

Two doses of MMR are about 97 percent effective against measles, and protection is considered lifelong for most people. Protection against mumps can fade over time, so outbreaks sometimes occur among vaccinated people.

Are people with disabilities at higher risk from Covid-19?

Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially those living in group homes or care facilities, have faced higher rates of severe illness and death from Covid-19. Staying current with recommended vaccines lowers that risk.

Is the smallpox vaccine still given today?

Routine smallpox vaccination ended in the United States in 1972 once the disease was no longer a threat. Today it is reserved for certain laboratory workers and military personnel who could be exposed.

What should I do if I am unsure whether I had a childhood vaccine?

Ask your doctor about a simple blood test called a titer that checks for immunity, or look for records through your state immunization registry. If there is no proof, getting vaccinated again is generally considered safe.

Why do Covid vaccines need to be updated?

The virus that causes Covid-19 keeps changing as new variants appear, and updated vaccines are designed to better match the strains that are circulating. This is similar to how flu vaccines are updated each year.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: Few public health topics matter as much to families as vaccination, and this account stands out because it pairs documented history with memories of what life was like before many vaccines existed: childhood measles, chickenpox that led to pneumonia, the rubella epidemic and the fear of polio. The measles vaccine was improved by Dr. Maurice Hilleman in 1968 and combined with mumps and rubella protection in 1971. The Covid vaccine was built on years of earlier mRNA research, which is why it was ready in under a year. The vaccine may not stop every infection, but it greatly lowers the risk of severe illness, and it will keep changing as new variants appear. For children, older adults and people living in care facilities, community vaccination is often the best defense. The author spent two years apart from a daughter during the pandemic and lost a close friend to Covid, a reminder that vaccine choices are never only personal.*

Author Credentials: Kathleen M. Cleaver holds a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education and the education of children whose primary disability is a visual impairment (TVI). During her thirty-year career as a teacher, Kathleen received the Penn-Del AER Elinor Long Award and the AER Membership Award for her service and contributions to the education of children with visual impairments. She also received the Elizabeth Nolan O’Donnell Achievement Award for years of dedicated service to St. Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairments. Explore Kathleen's complete biography for comprehensive insights into her background, expertise, and accomplishments.

* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.