Why Vaccinations Are They Important Essay
Vaccinations: Are they important? Forty percent of parents in the United States delay or don’t vaccinate their children (Culp-Ressler). Many parents believe vaccinations have serious side effects, but the CDC has not found links between vaccinations and the side effects parents are worrying about. Since some parents believe vaccinations can cause serious side effects, they have not been vaccinating their children and are using philosophical exemptions keep their children from having to get those vaccines. These exemptions are causing eradicated disease to re-emerge, putting immunocompromised people at risk, and causing an impact on the health all over the world. Vaccinating should be mandatory except for religious beliefs. Parents have not been vaccinating their children because they believe vaccinations can have serious side effects and can cause autism. “Sixty-three percent of parents who do not vaccinate believe their children could have serious side effects and fifty-seven
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percent of parents who do not vaccinate have concerns that their child could get autism” (Levs). Even though most parents are concerned about the side effects to vaccines, only one in one million children have severe reactions to vaccines (Crane). Instead of getting on the internet and reading blogs or finding information that has not or cannot be proven, parents can talk to their doctor about the side effects of vaccinations or get on the CDCs website to read statements from professionals. Vaccinations are based on herd immunity, which is immunity to a pathogen based on the developed immunity to it over time. To fully protect against a disease, a certain percentage of the population must be immunized (Kodish). Preventable diseases that have been eradicated, like the measles and whooping cough, have started resurfacing because people aren’t vaccinating against them. In 2014 there were 600 recorded measles cases in the US, which is the highest in two decades, and in 2012 there were 50,000 cases of whooping cough with 20 deaths (Crane). In the 20 states that allow philosophical exemptions, most of them had high numbers of outbreaks. In the United States in 2011 there were 244 cases of measles and 1,186 cases of whooping cough, but in 2014 those numbers had increased to 569 cases of measles and 13,031 cases of whooping cough (Sifferlin). A majority of those cases come from the 20 states that allow philosophical exemptions because of herd immunity. Since they’re not vaccinated, the disease is able to spread through the communities and states easier. Many people who support not vaccinating think vaccinations cause autism and serious side effects because of the ingredients in the vaccines, but the Institute of Medicine and the Center for Disease Control did studies of vaccines and autism, and vaccines and side effects. Their studies prove vaccinations don’t cause autism. Autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in how the brain functions. Thimerosal (a mercury-based ingredient in vaccines) is being studied to see if it has connections to causing autism. The Institution of Medicine proved there is not a relationship between thimerosal and autism:
In 2011 they reported on eight vaccines given to children and adults and found the vaccines safe. The Institution of Medicine’s study required them to look at the number of antigens, substances in vaccines that cause the immune system to produce disease-fighting antibodies, in vaccines during the first two years of the vaccines life (Center for Disease Control).
Other people who choose not to vaccinate might say that some vaccines wear off causing kids to get more vaccinations than necessary. Some vaccinations, like the vaccine for whooping cough, do eventually wear off, but because new possibilities of disease contraction, it is crucial to re-vaccinate. Also, all the vaccinations kids get are to protect them against diseases that can cause them serious harm. Parents are not just putting their children at risk by not getting vaccinated, but they are putting other people at risk. People who are immunocompromised have a higher risk of getting a disease because their immune system is not strong enough to fight the disease. “People taking Chemotherapy or immunosuppressant drugs cannot get vaccinated without getting sick, which is 500,000 out of 300 million people in the United States (Crane).” Since the United States is a mobile society, there are new possibilities of disease contraction.
When people are not vaccinated, it causes eradicated diseases to re-surface, it puts immunocompromised people at risk, and impacts health around the world.
Since people have stopped vaccinating their children the number of cases of preventable diseases has increased. People are able to travel all over the world which creates new way for disease contraction and if someone is not vaccinated, they have a 90% chance they will contract the disease (Sifferlin). If children under one years of age come in contact with someone who has the measles they all will get it (Crane). Since not vaccinating can cause risks for many people and many of the reasons people choose not to vaccinate do not have proof to be backed up, vaccination should be mandatory except for will kept religious exemptions or the person someone who has severe reactions to vaccines. If vaccinations become mandatory the amount of cases of preventable disease will decrease and the United States will be a healthier
country.
percent of parents who do not vaccinate have concerns that their child could get autism” (Levs). Even though most parents are concerned about the side effects to vaccines, only one in one million children have severe reactions to vaccines (Crane). Instead of getting on the internet and reading blogs or finding information that has not or cannot be proven, parents can talk to their doctor about the side effects of vaccinations or get on the CDCs website to read statements from professionals. Vaccinations are based on herd immunity, which is immunity to a pathogen based on the developed immunity to it over time. To fully protect against a disease, a certain percentage of the population must be immunized (Kodish). Preventable diseases that have been eradicated, like the measles and whooping cough, have started resurfacing because people aren’t vaccinating against them. In 2014 there were 600 recorded measles cases in the US, which is the highest in two decades, and in 2012 there were 50,000 cases of whooping cough with 20 deaths (Crane). In the 20 states that allow philosophical exemptions, most of them had high numbers of outbreaks. In the United States in 2011 there were 244 cases of measles and 1,186 cases of whooping cough, but in 2014 those numbers had increased to 569 cases of measles and 13,031 cases of whooping cough (Sifferlin). A majority of those cases come from the 20 states that allow philosophical exemptions because of herd immunity. Since they’re not vaccinated, the disease is able to spread through the communities and states easier. Many people who support not vaccinating think vaccinations cause autism and serious side effects because of the ingredients in the vaccines, but the Institute of Medicine and the Center for Disease Control did studies of vaccines and autism, and vaccines and side effects. Their studies prove vaccinations don’t cause autism. Autism is a developmental disability caused by differences in how the brain functions. Thimerosal (a mercury-based ingredient in vaccines) is being studied to see if it has connections to causing autism. The Institution of Medicine proved there is not a relationship between thimerosal and autism:
In 2011 they reported on eight vaccines given to children and adults and found the vaccines safe. The Institution of Medicine’s study required them to look at the number of antigens, substances in vaccines that cause the immune system to produce disease-fighting antibodies, in vaccines during the first two years of the vaccines life (Center for Disease Control).
Other people who choose not to vaccinate might say that some vaccines wear off causing kids to get more vaccinations than necessary. Some vaccinations, like the vaccine for whooping cough, do eventually wear off, but because new possibilities of disease contraction, it is crucial to re-vaccinate. Also, all the vaccinations kids get are to protect them against diseases that can cause them serious harm. Parents are not just putting their children at risk by not getting vaccinated, but they are putting other people at risk. People who are immunocompromised have a higher risk of getting a disease because their immune system is not strong enough to fight the disease. “People taking Chemotherapy or immunosuppressant drugs cannot get vaccinated without getting sick, which is 500,000 out of 300 million people in the United States (Crane).” Since the United States is a mobile society, there are new possibilities of disease contraction.
When people are not vaccinated, it causes eradicated diseases to re-surface, it puts immunocompromised people at risk, and impacts health around the world.
Since people have stopped vaccinating their children the number of cases of preventable diseases has increased. People are able to travel all over the world which creates new way for disease contraction and if someone is not vaccinated, they have a 90% chance they will contract the disease (Sifferlin). If children under one years of age come in contact with someone who has the measles they all will get it (Crane). Since not vaccinating can cause risks for many people and many of the reasons people choose not to vaccinate do not have proof to be backed up, vaccination should be mandatory except for will kept religious exemptions or the person someone who has severe reactions to vaccines. If vaccinations become mandatory the amount of cases of preventable disease will decrease and the United States will be a healthier
country.