Vaccines are good for many reasons, but have been known at times to be fatal. Vaccines can prevent a certain disease from being spread. Getting these vaccines are quick and easy to get, and may not only prevent one disease but can also prevent two. For example, if you are not vaccinated with the varicella vaccine, you may potentially contract chicken pox, and usually when you age, you then contract shingles, because of the chicken pox disease that you previously.
Sometimes There are Disadvantages
While vaccines prevent disease they can sometimes have disadvantages. For example, sometimes vaccines can have harmful ingredients, such as mercury, toxicity, but the majority of ingredients are safe. According to “vaccinesprocon.org” some ingredients have a connection to autism. However “www.scientificamerican .com” and “World Health Organization”, states that connections between vaccines and autism are just false rumors, and have not been scientifically proven. While vaccines are considered, “unnatural”, they also prevent more than 2.5 million deaths each year.
The Rules and Expectations
The Center of Disease Control, (CDC) recommends getting 29 doses of vaccines plus a yearly flu shot after six months old for kids ages 0 to 6. All 50 states require certain vaccinations for children entering public schools and also homeschool. States do not offer medical and religious exemption. Medical exemptions can only be approved if a child is allergic to an ingredient in a certain vaccine. Religious exemptions are used when a child’s religious beliefs don’t agree with things such as vaccines and blood transfusions. More and more parents are opting out of vaccines and and exempting their children must fill out a Department of Health form and then submit it to the Department of Health for approval. If this form is approved, then this process must be repeated every year until the child graduates from high school.
Reasons Why People Refuse to get Vaccinated
Many people refuse to get vaccinated, which puts them, their coworkers, family, and others at risk. An article that was published by Dr. Andrew Wakefield in February 1998, could likely be the cause of the reason why many people today believe that vaccines are harmful. Dr. Wakefield made up a theory that the MMR vaccine led to autism. This theory causes many people to fear vaccines. Scientists have proven the Wakefield theory to be false, and there has been no evidence whatsoever to back up the false theory. Because of this false information, Dr. Wakefield lost his medical licence.
Non-Vaccinated People
People often rely on herd immunity for their health protection. Herd immunity, which is also known as herd effect, community immunity, population immunity, or social immunity, is a form of indirect protection from an infectious disease that occurs when a large percentage of a population has become immune to, thereby providing a measure of protection for individuals who are not immunized. In order for herd immunity to work the majority of people need to be vaccinated in order to prevent disease in non immunized people. People who depend on herd immunity because they are particularly vulnerable to disease but can often not safely receive vaccines, are people without a fully working immune system, including those without a working spleen. People on chemotherapy treatment whose immune system is weakened, people with HIV, newborn babies who are too young to to be vaccinated, elderly people, and many of those that are very sick in a hospital setting. There are four types of immunity that someone can achieve. Natural active immunity occurs during infection.
Back then before vaccines were invented, the only way to become immune to a disease, was to actually get the disease, and with luck survive it. Chicken pox parties, or artificial active immunity (which is injecting or taking antigens by mouth) were the ways that many people tried to develop immunity.
Chicken pox parties were held in someone’s home whose child has chicken pox. Parents will then bring their children bring their children who have not been exposed to the varicella zoster disease in hopes that their children will contract the disease when young, When this particular disease is contracted by adults, the disease can be much more severe, in symptoms as opposed to getting the disease when you are a child. Chicken pox is extremely contagious and can be spread in just one to two days before a rash even appears.
It is Important to get Vaccinated as an Adult
Not only is it important to vaccinate children, but it is also important to get vaccinated as an adult. One of the reasons why is because as we age, our immune systems weaken, and immunity from other previous vaccines can decrease over time. Skipping a vaccine can potentially have serious health consequences.
Conclusion
Vaccines are good for many reasons but can sometimes have fatal side effects, allergic reactions, and sometimes non safe ingredients, but overall vaccines save many lives, prevent many diseases from being spread. Whether you are for vaccines, or against vaccines, you should always research it first, because the wrong decision could potentially be fatal.
