Vaccinations And The Anti Vaccination Movement
opinionated Essay
719 words
In 2000, measles was officially eliminated from the United States [1]. Recently, in 2014 the United States had its highest number of reported measles cases within the first five months of a year since 1994 [2]. The surge in measles cases is attributed to the rise of an anti-vaccination movement powered by parents who have become distrusting of vaccinations. In a United States National Consumers League survey from 2014 it was found that nearly one-third of adults believe that vaccinations can cause autism [3].
I was first introduced to the anti vaccination movement through television talk shows and news clips highlighting celebrities and their newfound purpose to wage war on vaccinations. When coverage of consequences to vaccinating children is spreading and well-known faces are telling you that vaccines are harmful it urges you to blindly accept what they are saying or at least research the topic being discussed. Unfortunately researching the topic can be confusing and without the proper knowledge you can be misled by strongly worded and persuasive arguments from unreliable sources. The confusion leads many people to not do anything at all and refrain from having their children vaccinated. Parents will favor a potentially harmful omission over less harmful acts [4]. From the inaction or purposeful refusal of parents more children are not being vaccinated. Once a certain percentage of the population becomes susceptible to a communicable disease the entire population runs the risk of losing its herd immunity, opening the gates for a resurgence of disease. This is being seen currently with the return of measles in the United States. This is an unfortunate and devastating occurrence that risks many lives. The return of measles is mad...
... middle of paper ...
...e another and push for a more broad scope of communication with the general public [5]. The experts within the scientific community can no longer rely on blind trust to obtain the general public’s approval. The scientific community will continue to lack presence within the general public if they are not present in the forums and spaces where the general public obtains its information. Some instances of this are already at work. Science based YouTube channels and scientific news sites have gained a strong foothold in the online community. They offer fun and innovative ways to inform and discuss scientific topics with the public. If more major journals and institutes focused on supporting these initiatives and educating the public hopefully there would be fewer people misled by misinformed activists or commercial interests and public health would change for the better.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the surge in measles cases is attributed to the rise of an anti-vaccination movement powered by parents who have become distrustful of vaccinations.
- Explains that the anti-vaccination movement was introduced through television talk shows and news clips highlighting celebrities and their newfound purpose to wage war on vaccinations.
- Opines that there is little to dispute in regards to the benefits of vaccinating vs. not. vaccinations have the power to prevent certain communicable diseases and the ongoing body of research continues to test their safety.
- Argues that the anti-vaccination movement is promoting a general mistrust of scientists and debilitating skepticism with the potential for disastrous results.
- Opines that the public, policy makers, and the scientific community should work to establish constant open and fair communication about public health.
Related
- explanatory
- analytical
- opinionated
- Persuasive Essay Vaccinesexplanatory essayThe once thought link between autism and the MMR vaccine stayed on everyone’s minds even as it was discredited. This led to a general skepticism of vaccinations and with the amount increasing, doesn’t help the health of the world. In January of 2015 84 cases of measles outbreaks were reported by the CDC which is more than in a typical year (Bernstein). This was traced to Disneyland and spread to six other states. Measles were once eliminated in the US but have spiked in recent years because of epidemics in other countries that are imported and spread by unvaccinated people
In this essay, the author
- Opines that vaccines should be mandatory except when medical reasons are applicable.
- Explains that the debate began when dr. andrew wakefield published a research paper suggesting the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine caused autism in february 1998.
- Explains that the u.k. once recorded several dozen cases of measles and now is in the thousands.
- Explains that many parents didn't get their children vaccinated along with medical and religious exemptions. the medical exemption is difficult to get because most medical reasons for delaying or not getting the vaccines have been eliminated.
- Explains that religious exemptions are granted thanks to the u.s. constitution first amendment right. the state can take the right away if it has a "compelling state interest".
- Explains that the link between autism and the mmr vaccine remained on everyone’s minds even as it was discredited. measles outbreaks were reported by the cdc in 2015, which is more than in a typical year.
- Explains that california put a bill in to effect that would only allow children with serious health problems to be exempt from mandatory vaccination schedules and those who chose not to would have to homeschool.
- Explains that rhett krawitt, a 7-year-old leukemia survivor, is in favor of mandatory vaccinations. his immune system has been compromised by chemotherapy and he can't be vaccinated himself.
- Explains that the number of antigens in vaccines kick-starts the immune system into action.
- Opines that vaccinations would not be mandatory and pushed so much if they weren't vital to the wellbeing of children. medical exemptions are the only reason someone should not get vaccinated.
1180 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Measles: A Mandatory Cureanalytical essayMeasles is a very deadly, but preventable disease. As proof of its preventability, Martino (2010) stated that, “Since the discovery of the first vaccine for small pox in 1796, the list of preventable diseases has swelled to 26”. Measles are included on Martino’s list of preventable diseases, and it stands to reason that if there are proven methods to stop illnesses or diseases, they should be taken. So why is it that parents are slowly moving away from getting their children vaccinated, and taking risks with a potentially
In this essay, the author
- Argues that children's well-being is the main premise on which this argument is being made. we live in a nation that was built upon, in part, on freedom of choice.
- Argues that measles vaccinations should be mandatory for all children before entering any school system regardless of age because of the escalation of this deadly disease in children in the united states, the danger it poses, and the proven benefits of receiving a vaccine.
- Opines that anti-vaccine parents are causing more harm than good by allowing a once-cured disease to resurface and infect thousands.
- Explains that measles is a deadly, but preventable disease, and it stands to reason that if there are proven methods to stop illnesses or diseases, they should be taken.
- Explains that the anti-vaccine movement can be traced to a 1998 report that links vaccines and autism. the centers for disease control (cdc) released an article titled, parent’s guide to childhood immunizations (2014).
- Opines that the benefits of a mandatory measles vaccination for children of all ages seem advantageous, but some parents may still feel that requiring this health procedure takes away their unalienable rights as united states citizens.
- Cites the work citeddisease eradication. five important reasons to vaccinate your child.
- Explains that vaccine critics turn defensive over measles. the 26 vaccine-preventable diseases.
873 wordsRead More - Persuasive Essay On Forced Vaccinationsopinionated essayWhat many do not know is that vaccine failure rates are greater than the 5% (Blaylock 3). Dr. Heib stated that “since 2005 there have been no deaths in the U.S. from measles. However there have been 86 deaths from the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, or MMR- 68 of them in children under 3 years old. And there were nearly 2,000 disabled” (Hieb 1). The death rates do not stop there. As of March 5, 2014 there were 13,964 vaccine injuries reported and 1,132 deaths (WND 3). The consequences of vaccinations are not only fatal, but they can also include the restriction of children’s liberty. If a child is unvaccinated, he or she may not be allowed to associate with others, or be in the same school, with the vaccinated. This fear of the unvaccinated is unwarranted. If vaccinations work, and one is fully protected by them, then why would the vaccinated be scared of the
In this essay, the author
- Opines that while vaccine manufacturers and the government may seem like good people, americans must look deeper into the real reasons for the forced vaccinations.
- Explains that vaccinations are contaminated with viruses, bacteria, viral fragments, and dna/rna. these contaminants could lead to degenerative diseases impacting the brain and other parts of the body.
- Explains that vaccine manufacturers are profitable because the government has numerous federal laws to limit their liability. this reduces the incentive for manufacturers to be concerned with product safety.
- Compares the themes in mary shelley's frankenstein to specific topics in today’s vaccination debate.
- Opines that the measles outbreak started with our own government's failed policies. both the creation of frankenstein and the government forcing vaccinations are equally deceiving.
1505 wordsRead More - Parental Vaccines: The Side Effects Of Vaccinesexplanatory essayRubella and Polio have been eradicated in the United States, diphtheria cases dropped from 100,000-200,000 cases per year to 5 cases in the last ten years, Hib, which was once the most common cause of meningitis affecting children has dropped by 99%. (CDC) Cases, as demonstrated with measles, will continue to rise if people neglect to appropriately weigh out the risks of vaccinating and not vaccinating and eventually we will be faced with an epidemic. Financial burden, loss of work, hospitalizations, not engaging our children with others due to the risk of illness, long term debilitating effects on the body and mind, or even death will become a greater issue than the fear of unsupported claims against vaccines. Not all can be protected by vaccinations alone, but as a community, we can make every effort to protect them by protecting
In this essay, the author
- Opines that choosing against child vaccinations affects many parents with consequences that extend beyond the family unit.
- Explains that the preservative thimerosal inhibits the growth of bacterial in vials of vaccines has taken the spotlight as a cause of autism.
- Explains that proof of vaccination effectiveness has declined since they were introduced. rubella and polio have been eradicated in the united states, and diphtheria cases have dropped by 99%.
- Explains that parents are tempted to avoid vaccines because they are more real to them than the actual diseases they protect their baby against. the american academy of pediatrics recommended that babies be placed on their backs to sleep.
1080 wordsRead More - Vaccine Argumentative Essayanalytical essayIn the United States, vaccines have received a grave amount of negative attention because of the rise of compulsory immunization, which is also being referred to as a culture war. Compulsory immunization means that a person is obligated (even if they do not want to) by law, to be immunized. This is a human right being stripped away, to choose what enters peoples bodies as well as our families because it can be morally justified. Besides what the medical industry would have many believe, the issues of vaccinations is very much complicated because not only have there been cases of vaccination success but there have also been failures. Such as, The Hannah Poling case, whose story broke out in 2008, and put a face on the autism-vaccine controversy.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that vaccines have received a grave amount of negative attention in the united states because of the rise of compulsory immunization.
- Explains that vaccines are a suspension of weakened or dead pathogenic cells injected in order to stimulate the production of antibodies.
- Explains how the national childhood vaccine injury act was passed to protect medical professors and vaccine manufacturers from being liable for harmful vaccine reactions. in 1998, wakefield was stripped of his license for falsifying medical data.
- Analyzes how the anti-vaccination society argued that vaccination violated the autonomy of parents to make choices about child rearing. jacobson vs. massachusetts was the most important judicial decision in public health.
- Explains that vaccines can damage a child's developing immune system and brain, leading to debilitating and life-threatening disorders such as autism, adhd, asthma, peanut allergies, juvenile diabetes, or sids, death itself.
1376 wordsRead More - The Vaccine Waranalytical essayThrough the rise of technological advances in medicine, the vaccine has changed the world for the greater good of the human race. Making a great triumph and virtually eliminating an array of life-threatening diseases, from smallpox to diphtheria, thus adding approximately thirty years to many humans’ life spans. Although, a new complication has arisen, possibly linking neurological digression with this rise of new vaccines. Such a digression has forced parents to exempt their children from receiving vaccinations and brought forth mental anguish affecting the minds of many.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that vaccines have changed the world for the greater good of the human race, eliminating an array of life-threatening diseases, adding approximately thirty years to many humans’ life spans.
- Explains that in the frontline episode the vaccine war, a progressively distressful debate ensues among scientists and doctors within the public health system and an unnerving alliance of parents.
- Analyzes how various forms of media help spread this debate across the world wide web, from biased information of numerous blogging sites to the overwhelming voice displayed by people on youtube.
- Explains cognitive dissonance theory, a notion created by leon festinger that disputes that dissonant is an awkward feeling that encourages people to take action to diminish it.
- Explains cognitive dissonance theory's methods of selective exposure, selective attention, selective interpretation, and selective retention.
- Analyzes the concept of selective attention in the vaccine war and the cognitive dissonance theory.
- Concludes that this debate will not disappear quickly, and solving such a pressing issue will arise new complications that will question the rights of american citizens.
- Explains that citedbrown, palfreman, and fanning, d. (executive producer), frontline. pbs.
1168 wordsRead More - Explain Why Anti-Vaxxers Should Not Be Allowed In Public Placesanalytical essaySociety has already decided that we can enact laws which require people to behave in a certain way to protect other people. You are not allowed to drive drunk or run a red light because you might injure or kill someone else. You cannot smoke in many public places because second hand smoke can harm others. There are people who cannot be vaccinated because they are too young, too old or have compromised immune systems, and their only defence against measles is herd immunity. Society has every right to demand vaccination if you want to be allowed in public spaces like schools or amusement parks. At this point, it is very clear that no amount of scientific evidence is going to change what anti-vaxxers think. That is the nature of irrational belief.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that society has already decided to enact laws which require people to behave in a certain way to protect others.
247 wordsRead More - Some of the Benefits of Vaccinationanalytical essayVaccinations are one of the single most important things one can do for the health of their children. Although, it has been a subject of recent controversy, the benefits of being vaccinated far outweigh not being vaccinated. Instead of taking medical advice from an actress, or buying into the conspiracy theories that suggest the government is using immunizations in an attempt to poison the population, parents need to spend a little time doing some research on the matter. Vaccinations were developed to preserve human life. If popular opinion concerning immunizations changes, countless illnesses, hospitalizations and even deaths will be prevented. If they do not, we are going to see a spike in needless childhood sicknesses and potential fatalities.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that vaccination is one of the most important things one can do for the health of their children.
- Analyzes how celebrities, such as jenny mccarthy, are instilling fear in parents regarding the vaccination issue. they claim autism is scientifically linked to childhood vaccinations.
- Explains that thimerosil was used as a preservative in many vaccines starting in the 1930s. however, the number of autism cases has continued to increase.
- Explains that the invention of vaccinations/immunizations is one of the greatest achievements in history. children in 17th century england died of diphtheria, pertussis, measles, smallpox, mumps, rubella
- Explains that children are immunized against all ailments except for smallpox and polio. polio is limited to india, the middle east, and africa.
- Recommends that young children be immunized because they are more susceptible to illnesses than adults. vaccination schedules have been fine-tuned to protect children at a vulnerable age.
- Explains that to be vaccinated, a person is inoculated with an attenuated (weakened) or dead form of the disease. multiple doses are required to build up the body's defenses and generate enough memory cells to the particular illness.
- Analyzes how welch (2014) used an article from the journal of the american medical association to compare the deaths resulting from illnesses before the invention of vaccinations to the figures of 2006.
- Explains that a vaccine undergoes rigorous testing before being allowed for general use, and health officials follow up to ensure that it is not harmful and effective.
- Opines that vaccination campaigns need to reach all children in order to achieve success. many schools require vaccinations, but some parents opt out because of false hype.
- Explains that preventable illnesses like measles and pertussis are on the rise.
- Explains that it takes one person infected with the disease to spread it to people who have not been vaccinated, children who are too young to undergo vaccination, and those with a compromised immune system.
- Explains that putting kids at risk: parents lax on vaccinations.
- Explains that vaccines prevent serious communicable diseases, which often run rampant in school settings.
1304 wordsRead More - Pros And Cons Of Anti Vaccination Movementexplanatory essayDear People of the Anti-Vaccination Movement, All throughout history, vaccines have been a source of controversy. It started when Edward Jenner first created the smallpox vaccine. Later, Andrew Wakefield began the movement against vaccines when The Lancet published his research about vaccines linking to autism. However, researchers have disproved this and Wakefield lost his medical license. Unfortunately, as shown by your movement, many people still believe in his research.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that vaccines have been a source of controversy throughout history. edward jenner created the smallpox vaccine and andrew wakefield started the anti-vaccination movement.
- Explains the pros and cons of mandatory vaccines. some people have said that injecting a disease into their arm is dangerous. there have been instances where the person receiving the vaccine has had an allergic reaction.
- Explains that vaccines have saved lives. children who go unvaccinated can spread illnesses to children with serious diseases like cancer.
- Explains that not vaccinating can have some serious costs in the long run, such as long absences from work, antibiotics for the child, and missing school.
- Explains that while america is all for freedom, the risk of disease is too great to go untreated. risking the health of children for the improbable chance that the government is using the vaccines is unintelligent and hazardous.
- Opines that many worldwide organizations have declared vaccinations safe. they have saved lives and can save money in the long run.
641 wordsRead More - Anti Vaccinationexplanatory essay- Anti-vaccine and vaccine-phobic sentiments have spread through social media and word-of-mouth. These attitudes are often propelled by religious beliefs, skepticism about science, and strong voices opposing vaccination. - It’s common that people’s reluctance or enthusiasm towards vaccines does not affect their behavior. Many people go through with recommended vaccinations despite their philosophical disagreements.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that anti-vaccine and vaccine-phobic sentiments have spread through social media and word-of-mouth, propelled by religious beliefs, skepticism about science, and strong voices opposing vaccination.
84 wordsRead More