COVID-19, beyond sickening many millions of people in this country and, in fact, worldwide, as well as exacting a heavy death toll, greatly ramped up a broad debate about the safety of vaccines, including those developed to try to end the pandemic.

That safety debate continues today, despite the successes and knowledge that have emanated from medical science’s battle against the coronavirus.

Recent years seem to have verified that as long as mankind exists, some skepticism about vaccine safety will continue to walk side by side with the complete confidence that others hold in regard to their effectiveness.

On the topic of safety, it seems unlikely that there ever will be universal agreement, no matter what evidence might be presented. Regardless, it is important to hear all sides of vaccine arguments to allow people to form their own decisions, whether or not those decisions eventually are proven correct or incorrect.

One reasonable suggestion should dominate when the topic of vaccines is at the forefront. That is that, whatever individuals’ ultimate decision, it should be forthcoming on the basis of personal deep thought and well-meaning medical information-gathering, also one’s own beliefs and personal circumstances, not crafted solely on the basis of political affiliation or by some fad or popular personality who might know less about the issue than you.

For many adults, regardless of their own individual attitudes about whether or not they should get vaccinated against whatever the illness or condition, the oftentimes tougher call is what position to take regarding having their children immunized.

Some parents or guardians choose to follow recommended guidelines; others choose not to do so.

An article in the Wall Street Journal’s Jan. 26 edition focused on high-level disagreement regarding the vaccine issue. Headlined “Doctors group sets list of 18 vaccines for kids,” the news account reported on the differences of opinion embraced by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The AAP, which represents about 67,000 pediatricians in the United States, released a list of recommendations last month that kept its guidance regarding vaccines — 18 — largely unchanged from its previous version last year.

The AAP said it doesn’t endorse the CDC’s childhood vaccination schedule that currently recommends all children get vaccinated against 11 diseases.

The doctors group continues to recommend that all children receive the vaccines for hepatitis A and B, COVID-19, influenza, rotavirus and meningococcal disease, which causes meningitis and other infections; the CDC has dropped those immunizations from its schedule for all children.

Dr. Sean O’Leary, a pediatrician who chairs the AAP’s committee on infectious diseases, told the Journal that “it’s clear that what’s coming from the federal government is not grounded in science, but rather in ideology, and so we are continuing to make our recommendations based on what’s in the best interests of children.”

Among the recommendations of both the AAP and CDC are that all children receive the vaccines for measles, chicken pox and polio.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said that the CDC’s dropping of six vaccinations from its schedule for children has brought the U.S. in line with other countries. Time will tell whether that was the right move.

The vaccine issue is not an easy one. Among the best advice might be to not rely on haste but, rather, do your “homework” first.

Doing that will be like a test. You’ll either pass it or fail.