The history of vaccinations does not begin with the first vaccination itself but rather an infectious disease that had greatly affected the human population. In 1796 Edward Jenner created a successful composition using cowpox material that created immunity to the ongoing growth of the small pox disease. Jenner’s method underwent 200 years of medical and technological changes until it had finally resulted in complete elimination of the smallpox disease. Vaccinations have been a controversial medical topic for many years and although it is proven to be an effective means of preventing serious effects, including fatalities from childhood illnesses the controversy remains that the side effects from the immunizations outweigh the risk of contracting the disease. According to the College of Physicians of Philadelphia they state that “innovative techniques now drive vaccine research, with recombinant DNA technology and new delivery techniques leading scientist in new directions. Disease targets have expanded, and some vaccine research is beginning to focus on non-infectious conditions, such as addictions and allergies” (“The History of Vaccines” College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Web. 10 January. 2014). While public health officials insist that vaccines are the best way to protect public health. Over the past thirty years the vaccination schedule has tripled and since then there has been an alarming rise in the infant mortality rate in America. The problem is not the vaccination itself, but the quality of the vaccination.
Vaccines are an integral part of modern preventive medicine. Without vaccines, not only would most malignant epidemics still be around, and the world would also be in a much more polluted era. The streets would be littered with diseased, there would have to be mass graves for the dead, and the healthy would have to be quarantined inside a sterile environment.
The whole world has heard about smallpox and polio but not of any recent cases, the dramatic ended of these diseases is from the use of vaccinations. Illnesses that were once deadly now can be completely avoided by being vaccinated, if the world stopped vaccinating the illness might return. Society has used vaccines for generations, however recently the effectiveness and side effects of vaccines have come under question. The value of vaccines is that they are essential to the survival of the human race, by preventing major epidemics of reoccurring viruses. This paper will expound on why people should be vaccinated, the benefits of herd immunity, the history of vaccines, how safe it is to be vaccinated, the cost effectiveness, and the benefits of vaccines eliminating deadly virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has listed immunizations as the number one greatest public health achievement in the 20th century. This attainment towards the goal of health and safety is a huge success for not only our country but from the global perspective as well. Immunizations help to prevent illness and death from vaccine-preventable diseases. The World Health Organization states that global vaccination coverage has remained consistent for the past few years; for example, the percentage of infants fully vaccinated against diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis has held secure at 83%. Programs for population-wide vaccinations have helped with the annihilation of polio in America since the late 1970’s, the eradication of smallpox, and the control of numerous other infectious diseases in the United States and other parts of the world.
Vaccines have been around for hundreds of years starting in 1796 when Edward Jenner created the first smallpox vaccine. Jenner, an English country doctor noticed cowpox, which were blisters forming on the female cow utters. Jenner then took fluid from the cow blister and scratched it into an eight-year-old boy. A single blister came up were the boy had been scratched but it quickly recovered. After this experiment, Jenner injected the boy with smallpox matter. No disease arose, the vaccine was a success. Doctors all around Europe soon began to proceed in Jenner’s method. Seven different vaccines came from the single experimental smallpox vaccine. Now the questions were on the horizon. Should everyone be getting vaccinations? Where’s the safety limit? How can they be improved? These questions needed answers, and with a couple hundred years later with all the technology, we would have them(ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 732,000 children were saved and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014 due to parents preventative vaccinations. (Vaccines 1). With 732,00 children saved from death and illness there should be no question on whether parents should vaccinate their children. Vaccines are an important part of saving children’s lives, all parents should get their children vaccinated, this prevents their child from catching diseases and passing it on to other children and adults, some parents fear that vaccinations can cause autism when there is no scientific evidence; vaccines are safe in the amount used.
Vaccinations have been a controversial topic over the years because the benefits are inevitably invisible. People who do not receive the disease are unaware of the good that comes out of the vaccination as well as the risks. There are multiple killer diseases out in the world that could and do harm unsuspecting victims and need to be prevented; therefore, vaccinations are the solution. A vaccination is the injection of a killed or weakened organism that produces immunity in the body against that organism (vaccine.gov). Research shows that vaccinations have decreased the percentages of diseases such as Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, more than 90 percent (Immunize for Good). Even though some parents are worried about the slight risks and the money
While vaccines will help each individual, it will also contribute to the future health of the generations to come. In the US, vaccines have reduced or eliminated many infectious diseases that once routinely killed or harmed many infants, children, and adults. That effect is greatly caused by the fact that more and more people are choosing to get vaccinated. Vaccines have eradicated Polio and smallpox along with other diseases. The last case of smallpox in the United States was in 1948; the last case in the world was 1977 in Somalia. Due to these eradicated diseases, there is no need to vaccinate against them. However, keeping up with the latest vaccinations, decreases the risks of those diseases to ever reappear. The CDC notes that many vaccine-preventable diseases are still in the United States or "only a plane ride away." Although the paralytic form of polio has largely disappeared thanks to vaccination, the virus still exists in countries like Pakistan(“ProCon.org".) Those who choose not to vaccinate are not only risking their lives but the lives of their young children and the elderly. There are some people who are not able to get vaccinated, due to specific medical conditions or age. These people rely heavily on “herd immunity”. Herd immunity means that when a "critical portion" of a population is vaccinated against a contagious disease, it
Since Edward Jenner’s first inoculation of the smallpox virus science has made leaps and bounds in the development of vaccines. Today the CDC recommends at least 16 vaccines for children. Through vaccines and crowd immunization we have eradicated polio and smallpox. There is no doubt that vaccines have helped human life grow and develop. However, there are growing concerns about side effects of vaccines. There are groups of parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. Groups like this have lead to outbreaks of diseases we have not seen in decades. While there are those who doubt the efficiency of vaccines it is clear that vaccines are our only option to eradicate disease.
You may think Vaccinations aren’t important, but they are. One reason they are important is because by not getting vaccinated, you could be at risk of serious diseases. These diseases can include influenza, pertussis, and shingles. Another reason would be because you could increase the risk of complications such as a chronic heart disease or a weakened immune system. Also it’s important because no one has the time to get sick or ill. The last one is that you can reduce the chance of passing serious diseases to others.
It’s been argued that the government shouldn’t have the authority to require vaccinations. While in most cases you should have a say in what you do with your body, immunizations are important. Most people would agree that you should do what is best for your body. Therefore, if everyone actually believed this, then everyone would be vaccinated already. The best solution to the outbreaks of life threatening diseases is immunizations. The government has the responsibility to protect people, including the people who can’t be vaccinated. In addition, vaccinating everyone who can be vaccinated protects those who cannot for health reasons. The government has the right to put laws in place that protect the greater good, in this case requiring vaccinations.
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
Vaccinations, or vaccines for short, are injections that deliver a living attenuated organism into a person’s body. Children are very important to the continued welfare of humankind, and thusly, their well-being is of heightened importance. Vaccinations have a significant impact on an individual’s health, and children are not excluded from the benefits of vacations. It is of utmost importance that children are provided with the chance to a healthy future. Due to underdeveloped immunosuppressant systems, children are vulnerable to diseases that adults are typically resistant to, as their immune systems have had many years to evolve and grow in strength. Vaccines help children gain considerable resistances to diseases that would otherwise cause serious health problems. When used throughout the entirely of a population, vaccines have the potential to eliminate the possibility of contracting specific diseases.
Vaccinations are designed to help people go through their everyday life. A country doctor, Edward Jenner, who lived in Berkeley, England, first administered vaccines in 1796 (Health Affairs). Throughout history, vaccinations have become better to where they are safer for the human body. Everyone should get vaccinated against certain disease to stay healthy. Vaccines have been proven to make people immune to serious diseases (Childhood Immunization). By being vaccinated the person is not only helping themselves but others around them too. Vaccines are an important tool for preventing disease and should be mandatory for all people.