Want to know how vaccines work? Check out this two minute video.

With the return of vaccine-preventable diseases and related conspiracy theories on the rise, PBS NOVA decided to investigate the state of immunization in America.

"Immunization plays a crucial role in our public health, yet there is a tremendous amount of apprehension and confusion around the topic," said Paula S. Apsell, senior executive producer for NOVA. So a new documentary — "Vaccines—Calling the Shots" — examines vaccine trends and the science behind them.

You can watch the whole thing here on Wednesday Sept. 10. For now, check out this clip that explains the concept of immunity in two minutes.

For more on why people should get vaccinated, see Sarah Kliff's post about vaccines and our cardstack on vaccines.

Will you join us?

Our biggest supporters are our readers — and we’re so grateful to everyone who has made a contribution during our September campaign. We’re less than 1,000 contributions away from reaching our goal for the month, which in turn will allow us to say yes more often when our incredible journalists come to us with questions they want to answer and projects they want to pursue. Will you make a contribution before the month ends and support our policy coverage through 2024 and beyond?

One-Time Monthly Annual

$5/month

$10/month

$25/month

$50/month

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $5/month

Yes, I'll give $5/month

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via