The Benefits of Vaccinations

1147 Words3 Pages

Introduction

Vaccines against diphtheria, polio, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella, and more recent additions of hepatitis B and chicken pox, have given humans powerful immune guards to ward off unwelcome sickness. And thanks to state laws that require vaccinations for kids enrolling in kindergarten, the U.S. presently enjoys the highest immunization rate ever at 77%. Yet bubbling beneath these national numbers is the question about vaccine safety. Driven by claims that vaccinations can be associated with autism, increasing number of parents are raising questions about whether vaccines are in fact harmful to children, instead of helpful (Park, 2008).

Positives for Vaccinations

For many years before the development of vaccines, it was known that after recovery from certain diseases some people would not become infected when exposed to it again. This course by which a person is protected from certain diseases after natural infection is termed active immunity. The person is protected since the immune system remembers the past infection and reacts quickly when it comes across the issue again. Yet, for diseases that can be life-threatening, attaining immunity in this way entails running the risk of death upon the first encounter. Even for non life-threatening diseases, a lot of infections carry a risk of grave complications after recovery and so it would be preferable to obtain immunity without taking unwarranted risks. Active immunity by way of vaccination presents a much safer alternative (Childhood Vaccinations: Understanding Vaccines, 2006).

The CDC works closely with public health agencies and private partners in order to improve and sustain immunization coverage and to monitor the safety of vaccines so that public ...

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... Tarrant and Thomson (2008), parents readily admitted that they had knowledge discrepancies in regards to childhood vaccines but believed that the benefits of immunization overshadowed any risks that might be present. The biggest source of information for these parents was family members and peers. Along with this information wide-ranging public health programs and mandatory vaccination requirements for school entry made certain that childhood immunization recommendations were followed.

At the present time there does not appear to be enough sufficient evidence to recommend that children not be vaccinated. The benefits of having a child vaccinated clearly outweigh any possible harm that the vaccinations might be causing. Children should continue to be vaccinated according to the schedule that has been set down by the CDC, so that everyone can be protected.

The Vaccine War
1168 Words | 3 Pages
In the Frontline episode The Vaccine War, a progressively distressful debate ensues among many scientists and doctors within the public health system and an unnerving alliance of parents, politicians, and celebrities. The topic of debate is the overwhelming pressure parents feel to vaccinate their children and their right to decline such vaccinations. In several American neighborhoods, groups of parents have been exercising their right to refuse vaccinations, which has elevated anxiety on the return of vaccine-preventable diseases such as pertussis and measles. The reason such parents are denying their children various vaccines such as the MMR “triple shot” for measles, mumps, and rubella is because they are convinced that it is linked to autism, a link that has yet to be proven. Many of these parents are focused solely on their children, not taking into account that their decision may put the American populace at risk for disease. Such parents are not thinking about other members of society that vaccines don’t work for, and in certain adolescents the effects deteriorate, thus only when every person is immunized the “heard immunity” is successful.
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The Pros And Cons Of Immunizations
1146 Words | 3 Pages
Health care policies are put into place regarding childhood immunization requirements for schools, along with information on obtaining religious exemptions. Each state and/or country develops their own individualized guidelines through interactions with federal and state government agencies. One in five babies around the world are missing out on basic vaccines and may die from weak health systems and insufficient funding. UNICEF and its partners are working to change these numbers and ensure that all children are successfully protected with vaccines.
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Vaccinations: Know the Risks and Failures
1626 Words | 4 Pages
“Vaccinations are causing a major upsurge in childhood diseases, adult maladies, and even deadly ailments such as Gulf War Syndrome and Lou Gehrig’s disease” (Blaylock). Every now and then an individual’s doctor calls telling them about the latest vaccine they should receive. The person immediately schedules a time to come in and get it done. But do they even give a second thought about it? Have they ever thought that maybe they do not need another vaccination? Many people have not taken the time to seriously think about the process of immunization. The truth is, there are many dangers that the average person should be unaware of. Rarely do vaccines actually accomplish what the public has been told. In fact, a lot of vaccines contain harmful substances that have been linked to disorders such as autism. The lack of education and dishonesty from doctors are putting people in danger of health problems without even realizing. Many parents feel obligated for their children to get vaccinated because of school, not knowing they have the alternative option of refusing immunization.
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The Harmful Effects of Vaccines
1406 Words | 3 Pages
Each day researchers are finding out about vaccines and are realizing that there are a lot more risks than benefits. Dr Phillip F. Incao explains: “Today, far more children suffer from allergies and other chronic immune system disorders than from life-threatening infectious disease. It is neither reasonable nor prudent to persist in presuming that the benefits of any vaccination outweigh its risk” (qtd in Spaker). While infectious diseases are becoming uncommon there is no need for any person to get vaccinated. There have been many issues surrounding vaccinations all around the world.
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Pros And Cons Of Vaccination
594 Words | 2 Pages
In 1997, the American Nurses Association made a position statement supporting the intentional outreach to children and communities receiving vaccinations that still remains today. It states, “The fulfillment of the immunization goal is a major undertaking that cannot be realized...
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Why Should Vaccinations Be Mandatory?
1340 Words | 3 Pages
“Childhood vaccines not only have personal benefits, but for entire communities and the future of public health” (Espejo 1). If a child goes without immunization, then he or she is also putting others at risk. Most parents do not consider all of the options and effects that come along with not having their child vaccinated. Many are quick to reject because of the possible side effects and harm it could cause. However, nothing in today’s world is completely harmless. An adult can easily be in a danger at work, while the child is in danger of disease at daycare. That is why it is completely necessary to vaccinate. By doing this, family, friends, and others are being protected as well (Allen 71). “There are also children who cannot get certain vaccines for medical or other reasons, and those who are too young to be vaccinated. These children have no protection if they are exposed to someone who is infected with a communicable disease” (Espejo 4). Commonly, this is not thought
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Why Should Vaccines Should Be Mandatory
1157 Words | 3 Pages
Many parents do not want to get their children vaccinated because they are harmful to children, but vaccinations are not as harmful as they think. Parents should have to have their children vaccinated because there are less diseases now since the use of vaccinations, other people that can’t get vaccinated won’t contract any infectious diseases and there are less problems caused from being vaccinated than non-vaccinated. Vaccinations have proven to be useful time and time
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The Importance Of Vaccination
1255 Words | 3 Pages
The individual has the right to refuse vaccination. But how does that effect the society the individual lives in? How does this refusal effect the healthcare provider that is trained to nurture and care for life? Is it right to force vaccination on someone? These are all ethical questions raised by the individuals chose for or against vaccinations. Vaccination is a safeguard for not just the individual, but also the vulnerable members of society. If vaccinations are so important for both the individual and society, why would anyone choose to forego vaccination? Could technology and a diverse population play a role in refusal of vaccination? These are all ethical questions raised by the individuals chose to forego vaccination. What, if anything
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The Benefits Of Vaccination
1281 Words | 3 Pages
Vaccines are a controversial topic. While there are many benefits to getting vaccinated, there are also some concerns. The benefits include immunization against many deadly diseases, debilitating diseases, and other simply annoying diseases. The concerns include everything from fears about vaccines causing autism, feeling they aren’t necessary for what they cost, and contracting the disease from the vaccines. While certain concerns may be valid, others are much less so, and will be examined and explained why I would choose to vaccinate my child.
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Should Child Vaccinations be Mandatory?
1230 Words | 3 Pages
Vaccinations have significantly reduced the disease rate throughout the world. Usually, vaccines prove to be between 90 and 99 percent effective. This reduces disease and mortality rate by thousands every year (Jolley and Douglas 1). On average, vaccines save the lives of 33,000 innocent children every year (“Vaccines” 1). In addition, if a vaccinated child did contract the vaccine’s targeted illness, that child would, in general, have more mild symptoms than an unvaccinated child that contracts the same illness. These vaccinated children will have less serious complications if they do contract the disease; they will be much more treatable, and have a lower risk of death (Jolley and Douglas 2). The risks of not vaccinating greatly outweigh the small risks of vaccination. Diseases like measles and mumps can cause permanent disability. While there i...
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Vaccination Advantages And Disadvantages
79 Words | 1 Pages
Economically, vaccination is also seen as a positive due to saving money in treatment, care, medical expenses and wages . UNICEF estimated that $6.2 billion can be saved in treatment costs worldwide if vaccines were more prominent in third world countries such as Africa and Asia. Also, by money not being spent on pharmaceutical production, eg. Cold and Flu tablets, money can be invested into immunization saving an average of $27 per $1 spent on vaccination research and production.
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Anti Vaccination Essay
2192 Words | 5 Pages
In recent years, the correlation between vaccines and autism has become the subject of much debate. On one side, there are the anti-vaccinators, or anti-vaccers. On the other, there’s pretty much everyone else. Despite the fact that the anti-vaccination movement has little base in scientific fact, their campaign to end early infanthood vaccinations rages on. While doctors and scientists try desperately to make parents look at the research studies, vaccination rates continue to fall. But, even in these dark times, there is still hope that scientific fact will prevail and defeat the anti-vaccination fear mongers who have caused many children to fall ill and even die because their parents did not properly vaccinate them. This is one of the most saddening scientific failures of the twenty-first century. A failure to educate the public properly has resulted in child, even infant, fatalities. The anti-vaccination movement was started based on falsified data and continues only because of a lack of knowledge and proper education of the general public.
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The History of Vaccine
1371 Words | 3 Pages
“Childhood vaccines are one of the great triumphs of modern medicine. Indeed, parents whose children are vaccinated no longer have to worry about their child's death or disability from whooping cough, polio, diphtheria, hepatitis, or a host of other infections.” (Ezekiel J. Emanuel, 1). Vaccines helped humanity for many years in eliminating illnesses that disfigured, disabled and a lot of times took lives away. Children who do not get vaccinated not only risk themselves by being an easy target for diseases they also, harm everyone around them. In the end, today's children are the fuel of the future. Every parent should think carefully before taking any chance that may harm the coming generation.
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Argumentative Essay On Anti Vaccination
1215 Words | 3 Pages
According to World Book Advanced Encyclopedia, immunization is defined as the process of protecting the body against disease by means of vaccines or serums (Hinman). While medical science backs up the efficiency and necessity of vaccines, within the past decade, a rise in parents disbelieving the medical community and neglecting to immunize their children has occurred. This “fear of vaccines” is nothing new, but with the ever-increasing safety of vaccines, the benefits of inoculation far outweigh the risks. Parents who refuse to vaccinate, or anti-vaxxers, put more than their children’s lives on the line, but also risk the safety of the whole community. Because vaccines are essential to protecting individuals and communities
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Argumentative Essay On Vaccines
874 Words | 2 Pages
Recently the number of parents who are intentionally delaying their children’s general vaccinations is increasing. The controversy that is causing the number of delayed vaccinations to go up is based on the fact that there are negative articles connecting them to autism and other similar diseases. When parents are researching vaccinations and they read those negative articles, those articles make them believe that vaccines cause autism. Vaccines are important because they protect humans from preventable diseases and getting them could save human lives. Vaccines are important throughout life no matter what some research suggests. Parents are now more likely to intentionally delay vaccines because of negative press, even though vaccines
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The Benefits of Vaccinations

The Vaccine War

The Pros And Cons Of Immunizations

Vaccinations: Know the Risks and Failures

The Harmful Effects of Vaccines

Pros And Cons Of Vaccination

Why Should Vaccinations Be Mandatory?

Why Should Vaccines Should Be Mandatory

The Importance Of Vaccination