Do COVID vaccines weaken your immune system?

On his television show, Bill Maher argues that natural immunity from getting sick with COVID should count as protection, says vaccines can weaken people before helping them, and claims vaccines are only for for high-risk groups of people.

Getting sick is not a safe way to build protection against a disease. Natural immunity is unpredictable, and any virus can make people very sick or even cause death. Vaccines give protection with fewer dangers, like getting sick, being disabled from the disease, or even death.

Another claim is that vaccines weaken instead of helping your immune system. That is not true. Scientists have studied vaccines very carefully and found no proof that they damage immunity. Instead, vaccines train your body to recognize the virus in a safe way, so you can fight it off if you are exposed.

He also claims that only high-risk groups, like older adults, really need the vaccine. While those groups do benefit the most, everyone can spread the virus, and even young, healthy people can get very sick. Vaccines protect you and also help protect the people around you, like children, grandparents, or friends with weak immune systems.

In the end, science is clear: vaccines are the safer, more reliable way to stay protected from COVID compared to natural infection. They lower your risk, protect your loved ones, and help communities stay healthier through every surge, season, and variant.