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Vaccinations and their importance to our society
Vaccinations and their importance to our society
Essay on vaccines improving public health
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People have been arguing against vaccinating their children since vaccines have become a major health requirement in the world. However, when individuals do not vaccinate their children it has multiple effects on community health and the people around that child. When children are not vaccinated it leads to health problems in the child and in the community surrounding the child. Parents choose to not vaccinate their children due to the way fact that they think vaccines could affect their child's health. Many parents argue that vaccines cause a baby's immune system to be weakened, and that the vaccine may contain certain toxic chemicals (Haelle). In reality, vaccines are not detrimental to a child's immune system. Vaccines help a that child's …show more content…
Herd immunity is when a portion of the community is vaccinated against a certain disease and if enough members of the community are vaccinated then the whole community is protected against an outbreak of the disease (U.S Department of Health and Human Services). This means that vaccines can affect the health of not only one child, but a whole community, town, or even a city. When parents refuse to vaccinate their children it can affect the health of whole communities, and can threaten vulnerable people who could contract diseases and potentially die. Overall, when parents refuse to vaccinate their child it can affect many things in a child's life, such as their health, and it can affect the communities around the child. Children who are not vaccinated have a higher chance of catching potentially fatal diseases. This non- vaccination can also affect community and city health, because the diseases that a child could contract can spread around the community the child lives in. When children are not vaccinated because their parents choose to do so it can affect many things in a child's
They pose a real health concern to the public. Those that haven’t been vaccinated pose a risk to others that aren’t vaccinated, babies that are too young to vaccinate, and those with a weak immune system. The growing number of unvaccinated families has become a growing concern for physicians. The Chicago Tribune reported, “Almost all physicians encounter parents refusing vaccines, according to a recent study.”5 The study also reports, “A small number of pediatricians — about one in five — have turned away unvaccinated families from their practices, said Dr. Sean O 'Leary, an associate professor of pediatrics at Children 's Hospital Colorado and lead author of the study.”
Recently high population of unvaccinated children on the West Coast has led to outbreaks of whooping cough and the measles amongst children as discussed in articles by Alexandra Sifferlin and Dan Diamond. Part of what has caused the outbreaks, according Sifferlin, is that unvaccinated children transmitted the diseases to children who are unable to receive vaccinations because of age, illness (particularly autoimmune disorders) and other health conditions). Typically children who are unable to be vaccinated are protected by the concept of herding. Herding, the idea that if most or all people who are healthy enough to receive vaccinations are vaccinated, then those who cannot be vaccinated, are protected from getting
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.
Parents must be forced to vaccinate their children. The detrimental effects of failing to vaccinate a child can be spine chilling for not only your child but you and your loved ones around. Despite our best efforts to keep our children safe, their lives are unhygienic, a proverbial germ fest some might argue. Children must be vaccinated as they are unaware of their surroundings and a vaccination will save their life; only the child’s but also the people around them.
Why would anyone want to leave their child at risk of developing a sickness that could easily be preventable? Some people believe that vaccines do not work and are only harmful; they are wrong. Vaccines can be helpful not only to the child of the concerned parent, but also the children of other parents as well. Parents should vaccinate their children because it prevents illnesses, rarely has negative effects, and vaccines have increased the human lifespan. If an illness is preventable, parents should ensure that their children are getting the medical protection available.
Vaccines work. They have kept infants healthy and have saved millions of lives for more than 50 years. Most childhood vaccines are 90% to 99% effective in preventing disease so why would you keep such an advantage away from your child? “ Vaccines are made with a tiny amount of dead or weakened germs. They help the immune system learn how to protect itself against disease. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to keep your child from getting very sick from the real disease.” (healthycanadians.gc.ca).When the word vaccination comes to mind the first thing that should come to our minds is life saving, helpful, and beneficial. Unfortunately not all people would think positively when it comes to vaccinations, they think of the worst that could happen. I understand they want to know the cons to getting the vaccine for their infant, but information can show you that pros outweigh the cons. Vaccinations can not only protect an infant but it goes as far as saving their lives. Society has a strong influence on people 's decisions. In this case society and parental beliefs get in the way of infants well beings.
Vaccinations prevent deadly diseases from spreading but if parents neglect to immunize their child they are at a greater risk of contracting a fatal disease and spreading it to other people. Other parents who neglect vaccinations do so in fear that their child will fall ill or develop autism because of important diseases but there is an extensive amount of safety and care that goes into vaccines before they are released to the public ensuring they are safe for use. Another problem that could occur due to parents refusing vaccination is fatal diseases of the past could rise again causing mass death and illness of others. Immunization has affected the world in many different ways, it has protected new youth and has saved the lives of many generations. Without vaccination, the world population would drop significantly. Immunization has affected the world by protecting the world's youth and the population as a whole. Without these crucial vaccinations, the world would not be the same and as healthy as it is now. Mumps, Measles, Whooping Cough, Smallpox, Polio and, Diphtheria are all diseases that were once death sentences are now combated by vaccinations that are saving lives of everyone around the
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.
Parents also argue that they do not vaccinate their children because of the harmful side effects that their child could endure. Not only are the ingredients contained in a vaccine often questionable but the amount that the child is receiving at his or her doctor’s visit is often asked by parents. The effects from vaccines on both mental and physical health is often debated. Some parents claim that a reason why they do not vaccinate is because vaccines contain live versions of the disease. Additionally, some vaccines contain ingredients that might be harmful if injected into the human body. These same parents might also argue that vaccinations are loaded with chemicals and other poisons which are unnatural to themselves and their children. Aluminum, bovine cow serum, egg protein, and human albumin are of
This article focus on a document publishes in the Canadian Paediatric Society website, which can help council hesitant parent that refuse to vaccine their children due to safety concern. This article use research information and premeditated steps to exemplify the issue surrounding the use of vaccine on children. Research shows that health care provider has a major influence on parental decision. In addition, Doctors should take into consideration and understand parent’s specific concern, by taking the time to explain the evidence so the hesitant parents will have a better understanding and this will determine whether a child get immunize. The information that present in the article comes from the “CPS” Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee, which is research and educational source. This article provide a clear information on what can happen if a child is not vaccinate, due to the facts that parents believe if their child is healthy and strong that they will disease free. However, most parents based their information on what they heard on the media and internet for example, that vaccine cause autism, there is no prove that it does, however things like that will make any parents not want to vaccine their child. There are consequences of a parent not having their child. In Ontario if a child is not immunize they are, not allowed in the school system, this is due to the risk that may occur. For example, a child who is vaccine, but may have a low immune system will mostly like catch whatever disease or bacteria when he encounters that specific chi...
Each year, about 2.1 million people die from vaccine-preventable diseases. Many children may not receive their necessary first year vaccinations because of lack of availability, religious beliefs, and safety concerns (Healy, Rench, and Baker 540). The dictionary definition of a vaccine is a biological preparation that improves the immunity to a certain disease (Healy, Rench, and Baker 540). Although all 50 States in the United States require children to be vaccinated to certain diseases before entering school, the states also have exemptions for these vaccinations (Lu 870). Parents often choose not to get their children immunized, and it has proven harmful to the health of the global population. It is important for parents to have their children vaccinated against diseases such as measles, mumps, and polio because it is important to promote the welfare of the human race (Parkins 439).
Emanuel, Ezekiel, from The New York Times, provides a great example of this, “The less effective a vaccine is, the more people you need to treat to produce herd immunity. For instance, if a vaccine is 80% effective, than vaccinating 25% of the population provides effective herd community. But if the vaccine is only 30% effective around 70% of the population must be vaccinated” (Emanuel). When you have your family vaccinated, you not only protect them but you are also helping to protect your
Vaccines have reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled people just a few generations ago, and due to immunizations the mortality rate has gone down. However, parents deciding not to immunize their infants can lead to the rate increasing again. Which is a shame with all of
The number of vaccinations that a child has to receive is overwhelming to a child and parent. They will also be receiving boosters and other vaccinations throughout life. The ineffectiveness of vaccinations can also be a factor in a parent’s choice. Side effects are the main concern between parents’ decision of whether to vaccinate their children. Not everyone believes that vaccinations are helpful; it should be a parents’ choice whether their child should be
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