The Benefits of Vaccinations Why are vaccinations a problem? Some people believe that they are the cause for harmful symptoms and effects. Some believe that they may not work for everyone. You may be thinking the same thing about vaccinations. Many of people, including parents, do not approve of the general problems associated with vaccines such as the ingredients in them, side effects, and the general well being of the people who use them. They believe that vaccines can cause serious allergic reactions as well as other diseases. Some may argue with this fact.
Vaccination is one of the most debated topics in today’s society along with abortion and the death penalty. Vaccines help people in many ways when it comes to their health, time, and money. Some parents simply don’t want their children to get vaccinated for the school year due to their own beliefs and ideas on vaccines. Vaccines help keep children, and adults safe, and healthy. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that “most childhood vaccines are 90%-99% effective in preventing disease. ” One main concern that people and parents have is that vaccines will cause an allergic reaction.
According to Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN and practicing neurosurgeon, “you are one hundred times more likely to be struck by lightning than to have a serious allergic reaction to the vaccine that protects you against measles. ” (Procon. org) In addition to this, Ellen Clayton, MD, JD, Professor of Pediatrics and Law at Vanderbilt Law School and co-author of the 2011 IOM report “Committee to Review Adverse Effects of Vaccines,” stated the results of the report: “The MMR vaccine does not cause autism… The MMR and DTaP do not cause Type 1 diabetes.
And the killed flu vaccine does not cause Bell’s palsy, and it does not trigger episodes of asthma. ” (procon. org) Vaccines are only given to children after they have been tested and carefully reviewed by doctors and other healthcare professionals. (vaccines. gov) As stated on vaccines. gov, ‘Vaccines will involve some discomfort and may cause pain, redness, or tenderness at the site of injection but this is minimal compared to the pain, discomfort, and trauma of the diseases these vaccines prevent. ” and that “Serious side effects, such as severe allergic reaction, are very rare.
Healthlinkbc. ca state, “There is a one in a million chance of a life-threatening allergic reaction from a vaccination. ” Since all vaccines go through such a careful review from healthcare professionals and even the federal government, then it is pretty clear that they are safe and will not cause any allergic reactions. Vaccines are used to protect the majority of the population. For example, if a contagious disease began to spread around a small town, and the majority of that community had gotten a vaccine against the disease, then a possible outbreak would be averted.
As stated on Immunizeforgood. com “When less than ninety percent of children are immunized in a particular community, these pockets of low vaccination create an environment where infectious diseases can take hold and spread. ” This would also protect the children and adults who may be too vulnerable to receive the vaccine do to age or poor health. People in this situation rely on “herd immunity” so that they do not become sick from a contagious disease that rapidly spread around from person to person. If children aren’t vaccinated, they can spread disease to other children who are too young to be vaccinated or to people with weakened immune systems, such as transplant recipients and people with cancer. This could result in long-term complications and even death for these vulnerable people. ” (vaccineinforation. org)
According to procon. org “A Jan. 2008 outbreak of measles in San Diego, CA resulted in 48 children who had to be quarantined because they were too young to be vaccinated and could not rely on herd immunity to keep them safe. In 2011, forty-nine US states did not meet the ninety-two to ninety-four percent herd immunity threshold for pertussis, resulting in a 2012 outbreak that sickened 42,000 people and was the biggest outbreak since 1955. (procon. org) Vaccines have reduced many diseases and, in some cases, eliminated many other diseases that severely disabled people or may have killed people just a few generations ago. Smallpox, for example, has been completely eradicated thanks to vaccinations. Immunizeforgood. com shows that cases of many diseases have been reduced, such as Rubella, Mumps, and Pertussis.
The twentieth century baseline shows that there were 47,745 cases of Rubella, 152,209 cases of Mumps, and 147,271 cases of Pertussis. By 2006 they were reduced to 11 cases, 6,584 cases, and 15,632 cases respectively. By 2006, Smallpox, Polio, and Diphtheria cases have all been reduced to zero. Procon. org states “Vaccinated mothers protect their unborn children from viruses that could potentially cause birth defects, and vaccinated communities can help eradicate diseases for future generations. Before the rubella vaccine was licensed in 1969, a global rubella outbreak caused the deaths of 11,000 babies, and birth defects in 20,000 babies between 1963 and 1965 in the United States. (procon. org) Vaccinations are decreasing the amount of people getting infected, but since the diseases have not been completely eradicated, they are still needed.
The CDC notes that many vaccine-preventable diseases are still in the United States or “only a plane ride away. ” (procon. org) Countries like Pakistan have reported cases of the Polio virus even though the paralytic form of the virus has mostly disappeared. procon. org) Some people may not know they have the virus, because it can lay dormant inside a person for many years without any symptoms. ( mayoclinic. org) This virus can be eradicated with the help of vaccines. If it is not, then someone housing the virus without any symptoms can unknowingly infect an unvaccinated person and spread the virus.
When the virus is transmitted into another person, it could mutate into its paralytic form and then this form of the virus will spread to other people. (procon. org) If diseases that are close to eing eradicated, like Polio, are able to spread between large numbers of unvaccinated people, then the diseases may become a huge problem like they were in the past. Procon. org states “Unvaccinated Amish missionaries who traveled to the Philippines brought measles back to Ohio in May 2014, resulting in one hundred and fifty-five infected people as of June 5, 2014. ” Measles, like many others, is a vaccine-preventable disease. Therefore, if people vaccinate, then many vaccine-preventable diseases will be wiped out. In addition to the health value that vaccines have, they also save time and money for many people.
It takes less time and costs less to vaccinate a child rather than to stay home from work and take care of a child that has gotten sick. According to a CDC study, children under five with the flu are contagious for about eight days and they end up costing their parents an average of eleven to seventy-three hours worth of wages, and $3000 to $4,000 in medical expenses. (procon. org)
According to immunizeforgood. com “The routine childhood immunization program in one birth cohort saves $13. 6 billion in direct costs. Every dollar spent on childhood immunizations saves $18. 40. Many vaccines are available without copay. This is covered under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (procon. org) Many people will argue that vaccinations will cause life-threatening allergic reactions and have harmful side effects. The truth of the matter is that all vaccines are rigorously tested and reviewed to make sure that they are safe before being released to the public. Thereby lowering the chance of any adverse effects from the vaccine. They are proven to lower the amounts of cases of many diseases, even completely eliminating some disease like Smallpox.
Vaccines can protect most of a community. If the majority of a community is vaccinated, it will protect those that are not vaccinated because the disease will not be able to spread as easily. Finally, vaccines save time and money overall. Going to the doctor and getting one vaccination takes less time than staying home with a sick child. The cost of the vaccine is a great deal less than the money lost staying home with a sick child. It is essential for people to get themselves and their children vaccinated to protect their family as well as their community.
