Vaccination

Vaccination

Vaccination

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Currently there are no laws that say vaccinations are mandatory but being vaccinated is a requirement for all children before they are allowed into public schools. These vaccinations are aimed at preventing diseases such as including rubella, diphtheria, smallpox, polio, and whooping cough. Data collected by the American Academy of Pediatrics sates that use of vaccines have proven to be ninety to ninety nine percent effective. Mass vaccination needs to be done to help with herd immunity, it saves medical costs, protects future generations, helped to eliminate diseases such as small pox and polio and it even helps the economy by avoiding lost productivity due to disability and early death. Approximately almost three million children are saved from preventable diseases every year and adverse reactions are rare.

But many believe that vaccinations are unnecessary because a child’s immune system is strong enough to with stand infections. Natural immunity has always proven to be more effective and many will agree that the FDA and CDC should not have a say because they profit for the use of mass vaccinations. Studies also show that side effects of these vaccines can lead to like autism, ADHD, and diabetes. The biggest issue parents have with mass vaccination is the government mandating their family’s medical choices. This also interferes with constitutionally protected religious choices. Also in 2005 the Catholic Church opposed the use of vaccines on the basis that the ingredients are immoral as some cells were cultivated from aborted fetus. Diseases such as small pox and measles are easily treated and do not require a vaccine while extreme disease such as diphtheria have somewhat disappeared.

Statistics show that “Between 1989 and July 1, 2014, 3,645 compensation awards have been made by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The Centers for Disease Control estimated that 732,000 American children were saved from death and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014 due to vaccination. About 30,000 cases of adverse reactions to vaccines have been reported annually to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System since 1990, with 10-15% classified as serious, meaning associated with permanent disability, hospitalization, life-threatening illness, or death” ( ProCon 2015).

After debating both sides I am still torn on the issue of mandatory vaccination for children. On one hand I believe natural immunity works best but I would not want to risk my child’s health or their life if this is not the case for my child. Also if I do get my child vaccinated the vaccine can cause harmful and even fatal side effects. But because it is mandatory for public schools I would have to have my child vaccinated.

ProCon.org. (2015, February 6). Vaccines ProCon.org. Retrieved from http://vaccines.procon.org/