b" vaccinesHow vaccines help keep the community safeBy Healthy News staffThey have another important La Salle Academy purpose: They can help people in your If you feelcommunity stay healthy. When you nervous whendon't get an illness or an infection, you get asays Dr. Feemster, . you can't spread vaccine, justit to other people. remember what thatDr. Feemster has worked with shot will dovaccines in lots of different ways Dr. Kristen Feemsterfor you. It willduring her career. She is a doctor who Vaccine Expert reduce thespecializes in taking care of children chances of you and other people ofand has given a lot of shots. She also getting sick, according to Dr. Kristenhas been a vaccine researcher. Now, Feemster, a vaccine expert. she is the executive director of Global Vaccines help teach your bodyMedical and Scientific Affairs for to protect itself against differentMerck, a pharmaceutical company infections, she says.that makes vaccines and medicines.Dr. Feemster says it can take up to 20 years to create a vaccine. Here are some of the steps:1First, scientists decide what we need a vaccine for. 2They work in the laboratory and try to figure out what part of the germ virus or bacteria they can use to get a good immune response and make safely. 3Then they start testing the vaccine to make sure that it is safe and gives an immune response that's going to give people protection. It goes through a lot of testing. 4When the scientists feel that the vaccine is safe and works well, they submit an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is in charge of reviewing vaccine and drug studies to make sure they are safe and effective before they can be used in the United States.Page 8 illustrations by Allison Mark, 5th grade, East Norriton Bulldog Bulletin5If the FDA approves the vaccine, it can be given to (blowing nose) | Liliana Diaz, 8th grade, Catholic Partnership Schools Healthypatients. Courier (growth)Page 9 illustration by Maira Rehman, 7th grade,8B Y K I D S , F O R K I D S | F a l l 2 0 2 4 MaST Community Charter Healthy Panther Post Courier"