At 93 years of age I have seen enough to be reasonably sure of the conclusions I have reached. I've made my decisions based on failures and successes I have witnessed.
"but the because stories fail under close scrutiny."
Which stories "fail" your close scrutiny.
"and antibiotics are not vaccines." Antibiotics fill the gap (to a great extent) where vaccines are not available or fail. Ask any farmer raising cattle, sheep, horses or poultry if they could operate without vaccines. Ask them also if they could operate without the availability of antibiotics. A few do but they can only do it because vaccination keeps most diseases at a very low level.
