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History of vaccinations
Effects of vaccine hesitancy
History of vaccinations
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Why are parents not vaccinating their children against preventable diseases? Many infants and children are dying around the world due to preventable diseases. The parents of children in underdeveloped nations of the world are in need of vaccines. Vaccines are sent to these locations to help the people thrive. However, in the United States it is a different version, where parents demand their children not to be vaccinated. Vaccines are readily available to people, yet they refuse for many different reasons. Most of the reasons given for not vaccinating children are because of religious reasons, forgetfulness, moral beliefs, monetary issues and the theory that vaccines cause other health related issues, such as autism. The United States have been privileged with support from the government to vaccinate all people who requested to be vaccinated against preventable diseases. Many people around the world are powerless in getting vaccinated and most die due to lack of healthcare and availability of vaccines. Parents have a choice to make about keeping their children alive. People who were able to witness outbreaks of diseases in the past know exactly how terrifying they can be. Children suffered and nothing could be done to help them. Parents today have no concept to how devastating and ruthless these deseases once were. Parents currently lack the knowledge and experience of what our past generations suffered through. If all the vaccines available now were accessible in the past, parents would have demanded any vaccine that was offered.
The first vaccine was created for the deadly virus knows as smallpox. Since that time many other vaccines have been produced to rid the world of other cruel and fatal illnesse...
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... them from death or a lifetime of illness and for the parent a lifetime full of regret.
Works Cited
Brink, Susan. "One Thing We Know About Autism: Vaccines Aren't to Blame." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 16 July 2013. Web. 01 Mar. 2014.
Butler, Kiera. “The Real Reason Kids Aren’t Getting Vaccines.” Mother Jones. N.p., 27 May 2013. Web. 4 Mar. 2014. .
Vaccines and Immunizations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n. d. Web. 4 Mar. 2014. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/why.htm.
Vaccines and Immunizations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n. d. Web. 4 Mar. 2014. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/whatifstop.htm
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.
HIV Transmission Risk. (2013, July 11). Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/policies/law/risk.html
Homeland Security. (n.d.). Creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 04 30, 2014, from Offical Website of the Department of Homeland Security: http://www.dhs.gov/creation-department-homeland-security
“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.
The simple injections have potential to save thousands of lives every year and they are making the world a safer place. Vaccines can help create an environment where children are not receptive to disease which would have taken lives in previous decades, and for the general population to be healthy, and to keep children safe from illness and disease people should vaccinate themselves. Throughout my research for vaccinations, I didn’t realize the many stances parents could support. I knew previously before researching that many parents didn’t agree with the idea of giving their child a vaccination that could possible cause an issue that wasn’t present before. Although, I always supported vaccinations strictly because of scientific facts; when I read about the many reasons why parents didn’t it was a shock and ultimately overwhelmingly disappointing. Mainly, because it seems like parents are only looking at the few effects vaccinations could have on a child. Overall, I believe that everyone should be vaccinated, not only to help themselves but to help the public from outbreaks that can easily occur if the anti-vaccination movement continues and makes
Vaccines have been used to prevent diseases for centuries, and have saved countless lives of children and adults. The smallpox vaccine was invented as early as 1796, and since then the use of vaccines has continued to protect us from countless life threatening diseases such as polio, measles, and pertussis. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2010) assures that vaccines are extensively tested by scientist to make sure they are effective and safe, and must receive the approval of the Food and Drug Administration before being used. “Perhaps the greatest success story in public health is the reduction of infectious diseases due to the use of vaccines” (CDC, 2010). Routine immunization has eliminated smallpox from the globe and led to the near removal of wild polio virus. Vaccines have reduced some preventable infectious diseases to an all-time low, and now few people experience the devastating effects of measles, pertussis, and other illnesses.
The fact that parents see’s vaccinations as a choice makes me think why do they see vaccinations as a “bad” thing. Then I realized just maybe some parents don’t know anything about vaccinations and prefer that they don’t put a unknown source in their baby, or maybe they are just given wrong information by other parents that don’t believe that infants should get vaccinated. I believe that every single parent should to a pediatrician/ or family doctor and ask them all the questions the have on vaccinations because at least they will get the right
Vaccinations began approximately 1000 C.E. beginning with the Chinese inoculating for smallpox. Vaccinations became widely practiced throughout the globe. More vaccinations were invented to prevent multiple diseases such as smallpox, diphtheria, tetanus, and typhoid. These vaccines have greatly reduced the burden of the diseases. Today this practice causes controversy because many view it as unnecessary and harmful. Without the practice of vaccinations, the prevented diseases will return with a lasting impact.
America looks at disease as a war. Illness is the enemy, vaccinations are the weapons, and the unfortunate cost is that some innocent civilians may lose their lives. A vaccine is a substance used to provide immunity against a disease. In some cases, vaccines have done more harm than good. Ignoring this fact, vaccines are mandatory in every state, and some states are trying to take away the parent’s right to deny them. The disadvantages, diseases, and disabilities caused by vaccines justify the parent’s right to decide against the risk of vaccination.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.
"Vaccine Side Effects/Risks." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 08 Mar. 2012. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
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.
Protecting Our Communities: Why Vaccines Should be Mandatory For Parents, hearing their children cry is like a stab to their heart. The restless nights are full of anguish for the parents, and pain for a child with measles. This disease, and many like it, can be completely eradicated simply by allowing children to get vaccinated. Throughout history, plagues and diseases have jeopardized civilizations and cultures. Modern medicine now provides protection against these diseases; it is a shame some parents still refuse this life saving aid.
Those who choose not to vaccinate their children are endangering the health of those unable to be vaccinated themselves, such as infants, pregnant people, and the immunocompromised, by jeopardizing community immunity. According to vaccine.gov, a federal government website managed by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, community immunity or “herd immunity” occurs when “a critical portion of the community is immunized against a contagious disease, most members of the community are protected against that disease because there is little opportunity for an outbreak” (Community Immunity). An infographic featured in an NPR article entitled “How Vaccine Fears Fueled the Resurgence of Preventable Diseases” illustrated the rise in measles cases in Western Europe and of pertussis (whooping cough) cases in the U.S (Doucleff). In the first eight months of 2014, there were eighteen measles outbreaks, and six hundred cases of measles. This is incredibly dangerous because outbreaks give these diseases the opportunity to evolve and become resistant to vaccines, putting even vaccinated children at risk (Harmon). Parents making the decision not to vaccinate are doing so out of a place that all parents share: a desire to keep their children healthy. However, these anti-vaxxers are basing their decision not on