Vaccination is a key factor in keeping communities safe from harmful diseases, especially those that can spread easily. However, pediatric immunization policy can be debated from an ethical perspective because it concerns the role of the government and families in maintaining the health of children. I will argue that the immunization requirements with exemptions for school entrance in Washington state are ethically required because they balance the role of the government in public health and personal autonomy in the most minimally intrusive way possible.
Hendrix points out that pediatric vaccination, or the policies surrounding vaccination requirements for children, can “span several public health domains, including those of policymakers,
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The Department of Health website contains many resources to answer questions that parents may have on whether to vaccinate their children, including information about the benefits of vaccination, how one can get vaccinated, and access to webinars and lectures. By giving people in Washington state the opportunity to be informed, the government demonstrates that they are not blindly leading people or forcing them to take actions they are not familiar with. Hendrix points out that communication, especially with those that do not want to vaccinate, is extremely important in highlighting the goals of the immunization requirements. The government website clearly highlights the goals and reasoning behind these requirements, which satisfies the issue of …show more content…
Everyone has the opportunity to get vaccinated, even in less populated parts of the state. The state has a free vaccination program, as well as a number of free resources to learn more about the goals of vaccination. The low cost of vaccination combined with its accessibility urges every family to get their children vaccinated. It is more efficient to be vaccinated as a child than to grow older and need to pay the costs of a potentially deadly disease, and benefits far outweigh any concerns about getting sick from vaccination at a young age. In fact, it is more of a burden to not vaccinate within the state because of the immunization requirements and the process of doing paperwork to be exempted. Regardless, there is no retributive justice, or punishment for those who choose not to vaccinate. The government understands that the goals of the community may not resonate with every family, and they are willing to make exemptions. The incredible accessibility of the vaccination program and the numerous resources demonstrates a clear will to enable everyone to vaccinate their