Vaccination Policy Proposal The issue of required vaccinations for children has become an increasingly intense subject of debate among parents and society. While the majority of parents support vaccination against childhood diseases and illnesses, a significant number of people also perceive vaccinations as dangerous, unsafe and perhaps against their core beliefs (Harmsen, et al., 2013). Because of this, many states have permitted both medical and non-medical exemptions from vaccines with non-medical exemptions falling into two main categories. These categories include religious exemptions and personal belief exemptions (Reiss, 2015). But as these exemptions have been allowed, the percentage of children receiving vaccines in some states has …show more content…
First, mandatory vaccination of all children with no exemptions represents one extreme. However, historically, such policy efforts have resulted in a backlash against childhood vaccinations (Salmon, MacIntyre & Omer, 2015). Groups coalescing against alleged attacks on privacy rights and freedom of choice typically become more vocal and have had success in getting proposed legislations to be opposed. Likewise, evidence suggests that such extreme policy positions is not necessary as some groups, such as children who are home-schooled, do not have the same need for vaccinations (Salmon, MacIntyre & Omer, 2015). Given this data, it would appear mandated vaccination policies are less than …show more content…
With this in mind, focus group studies have indicated several variables influence the decision not to vaccinate one’s child such as views about vaccination safety and efficacy (Harmsen, et al., 2013). Likewise, a significant amount of distrust exists against pharmaceutical companies and the government (Salmon, MacIntyre & Omer, 2015). Given this information, a policy which requires parents attaining an educational certificate via an 8-hour online course on vaccinations seems most prudent. This certificate would then serve as the basis for all vaccination exemptions (religious and otherwise) which would be required in order for an unvaccinated child to attend any community program or educational facility. Funding for these programs would be supported by public tax supports from state income taxes through public health foundations, and public health departments would monitor rates of unvaccinated children and related diseases to assess policy success. By implementing this policy at a state level, studies have supported that this results in fewer unvaccinated children over time (Salmon, MacIntyre & Omer, 2015). Therefore, this policy seems to offer the greatest potential in achieving higher vaccination rates among
There is a war going on against parents that refuse to vaccinate their children. It is coming from the government that makes and enforces laws requiring parents to vaccinate their children, hostile parents of vaccinated children, and doctors that refuse to see unvaccinated children. They are concerned about the potential health risk unvaccinated children pose to the public. These parents aren’t lunatics but are concerned parents that are trying to make the best choice for their children. In fact, these parents aren’t fighting alone; a number of pediatricians and medical experts are apart of this crusade and have taken the lead. They will tell you there is an agenda, “Vaccine manufacturers, health officials, medical doctors, lead authors of important studies, editors of major medical journals, hospital personnel, and even coroners, cooperate to minimize vaccine failings, exaggerate benefits, and avert any negative publicity that might frighten concerned parents, threaten the vaccine program and lower vaccination rates.” 4
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.
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.
The current living situation of the children and family members and their access to health care services including transportation method, health insurance, financial concerns, and other economic constraints.
Vaccines are becoming increasingly hazardous for many children and parents are not being informed about the safety of their children. Current reports are linking vaccines to serious life-threatening disorders such as asthma, autism, immune system dysfunction, and mental retardation (Williams). These recent revelations are causing an increasing amount of people to claim religious and medical exemptions from vaccines. From 1999 to 2006, exemptions have more than doubled from 9,722 to 24,919 (Cronin). It is very clear that vaccinations are posing many problems for parents everywhere. 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.
Vaccination was first introduced globally for small pox and later on extended to other communicable diseases which are now known as vaccine preventable disease. Vaccination is beneficial both for individuals and community. This bring us to the ethical dilemma - Vaccination of a healthy child with the intention of protecting both the individual child and the community at the same time exposing the child to the theoretical risk of exposure to disease products whether live, attenuated or killed. There was a time when people never questioned the government or their physicians. Now because of more public awareness and accessibility to medical information, they are questioning the safety aspects of vaccines.
The AAP recommends children to get the flu shot each year. They stated that the government supports vaccines so strongly that any child without insurance can walk into a clinic and get their shot free of charge. In 2016, Walgreens gave away $15 million worth of free flu shot vouchers to uninsured and underinsured people.
(Jane C Finlay, Noni E MacDonald, 2001). Working with Vaccine -hesitant parents. Canadian Paediatric Society. Retrieved May 3, 2013, from http://www.cps.ca
Calandrillo, S. P. (2004). Vanishing Vaccinations: Why Are So Many Americans Opting Out of Vaccinating Their Children? University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 37(353), 1-78.
Students everywhere with medical disabilities are being put at a serious risk for deadly diseases due to the lack of vaccinated students. From religious to social reasoning, thousands of parents across the United States are moving towards the "no vaccination" movement, and sending their children to public schools without proper vaccinations. As it stands now, students with either medical or religious reasons can be exempted from the required vaccinations in all states except for Mississippi and West Virginia; however, parents are taking advantage of this policy. All students in public school systems should be required to get all of their vaccinations, unless there is a medical circumstance preventing that, in order to decrease the risk of infection for all public schools.
It is very important that all children are immunised against diseases for the sake of themselves and everyone around them. Case in point, in March 2015, a baby named Riley passed away from Whooping Cough, a preventable disease. He himself was not old enough to be immunised but instead had to rely upon the immunity of other babies in his ward. Unfortunately, vaccination rates are as low as 83% in some places in Australia and in this case the lack of vaccinated children cost a life. Vaccinations undergo vigorous and numerous tests to ensure they are safe to use. Young children are most at risk of dying from these vaccine-preventable diseases. They are only new to the world and haven’t had the opportunity to build up their immune system. Giving them vaccinations to top up deficiencies they may have will provide the greatest chance of survival for them and everyone around them. The benefits far outweigh the risks. There are serious implications for those parents who do not support immunisation. In Australia, Child care centres, pre-schools and schools will not enrol children who have not been vaccinated unless they sign a Conscientious Objector Form, failure to do this can result in parents being reported to Child Protection Agencies for negligence. Unvaccinated children are also excluded from childcare, preschool and school for set periods of time when another student is sick with a vaccination-preventable
By relinquishing the right of adults to choose whether they get vaccinated or not, the government is devaluing the individual, in essence, the government is putting the collective ahead of the group, this concept is a key foundation in democratic centralism, better known as Communism. Individual rights was a huge basis on the foundation of the US(US Constitution), denying the rights of the individuals to chooses whether they get or not, breaks this foundation(Darrell). Requiring vaccination also brings many issues into play, such as making the time to take all the vaccinations, and many vaccinations can’t be taken all at once, and this results in them breaking their normal schedule. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a former ophthalmologist, agrees while vaccines are a wondrous thing, but freedom should not be compromised in the sake of universal vaccination(Rand
Vaccines are made to prevent and protect people from diseases that have devastated the country in the past including polio, measles and rubella. Federal laws do not require vaccination but all the states in the United States have state laws that mandate children attending public school to have certain standard childhood vaccinations. To be exempt from this requirement there must be a religious or medical reason ("Vaccines ProCon.org"). Some believe vaccines are necessary to prevent disease, are safe to be administered to people, and should be mandatory. Others believe that vaccines are harmful to people causing serious side effects and making them mandatory infringes on their rights. I believe Children should be required to have their standard
People all over the world go back and forth regarding the importance in vaccinating their children. It’s such a debated topic, which even the population without children are throwing in their thoughts regarding this issue. Some vaccinations have been around for hundreds of years, with newer vaccinations hitting the market over the recent last few years. While many vaccines are considered mandatory through the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are quite a few immunizations that are optional. There is a stigma on both ends of the spectrum. If we divided the population into two separate groups, one group may argue that vaccinations pose a risk to the child rather than a benefit. On the other end, the second group may argue that children
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