Requiring vaccinations is a highly debatable topic in the United States today. An article by Ronald Bayer, “The continuing tensions between individual rights and public health,” is one of the most reliable sources in the case study. The author has a PhD from the University of Chicago and focuses his research on issues of social justice and ethical matters. Bayer has also previously been a consultant to the World Health Organization on ethical issues related to public health. This makes him very knowledgeable about the topic and a highly credible source.
Elie Wiesel is a Holocaust survivor and successful author of more than forty internationally acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction. Including the book Night, a story describing his experiences during the Holocaust, which is also a nobel peace prize winner. Along with a moving speech called Perils of Indifference, telling his audience about Indifference and how it can affect someone’s life. Throughout both prices of writing, Wiesel had a common message and goal to inform people to think and act versus staying silent. Although both pieces of writing are very good, which piece is more conveying of Wiesel's message?
Many people think they should not get themselves or their children vaccinated because of the side effects that could occur after receiving the vaccination. Side effects such as headache, fever, rash, redness, and tenderness at the site of the injection are all common side effects. However, there are more serious side effects that could require hospitalization, or result in death.
Vaccines have and always will be a huge topic. There are different reasons why people do become vaccinated, and there are also reasons of why some people do not believe in being vaccinated. As a medical assistant, we need to be respectful to all our patients. We are not to argue with our patients because of something we think they should have done. We can provide the patient with facts about what has been found about certain diseases and if there is a vaccine available for that disease.
Mandatory vaccinations eliminate personal freedoms, and could violate religious beliefs. Also, many people are very skeptical about the effectiveness of the vaccination versus personal hygiene. In an Indiana hospital in early 2012 eight workers were fired due to declining a flu vaccination (Farwell 2016). Lawsuits have even been filed over this dilemma, and if people feel strongly enough to sue over it, then hospitals should see that mandatory vaccinations are causing more harm than help.
There are numerous evidences present in the literature to support the usefulness of vaccination for the treatment of viral infections such as Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Small Pox (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2013). A person is given a shot once for these diseases and seldom need another shot. Health agencies are now able to make statement such as the eradication of Small Pox, Polio and Measles (College of Phycisian of Philadelphia, 2015). The efforts toward polio and measles eradication in the Americas have been possible only mainly because there was a very high level of political commitment and collaboration among governments of the region (Knobler, Lederberg, & Pray, 2002).
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.
Vaccination rules need to be changed to prevent a major outbreak of several or one diseases. The CDC can reduce the number of unvaccinated children by creating strict rules that parents must follow. Therefore; the vaccines will be technically forced upon the child if needed and given proper
Is mandatory vaccination really necessary? Experts around the world collectively say 'Yes '. Mandatory vaccinations have proven, several times throughout history, to be incredibly helpful and at times crucial to the well-being of the human race. Mandating certain vaccines has saved entire nations from disaster and defeat. The lack of vaccinations and medical treatment for some viruses has wiped out populations as a whole.
The article “Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child” reasons that “Some diseases that once injured or killed thousands of children, have been eliminated completely and others are close to extinction– primarily due to safe and effective vaccines”. Because of vaccines the world today as we know it is slowly becoming safer as more and more diseases are being eradicated. The U.S. has helped in their own way to get rid of diseases. The article “Should Any Vaccines Be Required for Children?” states that “In 1855 Massachusetts passed the first U.S. state law mandating vaccinations for schoolchildren [5], followed by New York (1862), Connecticut (1872), Indiana (1881), and Arkansas (1882).” So as the years went on the U.S. has continually integrated vaccinations for the youth, in this case, it is needed in order to attend
Pro Vaccination Since the invention of vaccines, it has created a huge impact worldwide. As a child begins to start school, their required by the state to receive their twelve routine shots. The children who receive all their shots have a greater chance of not contracting any diseases. Throughout the years, vaccination or otherwise known as immunization has been a hugely controversial issue worldwide and whether or not to vaccinate children. However, vaccines are an effective and key role in keeping the human population healthy and safe.
Required Immunity Mandatory vaccinations for children in public schools have been the center of much debate since laws were first developed to regulate immunization. Fears from parents about side effects and adverse reactions have steered many away from wanting to vaccinate their children despite the numerous infectious diseases they prevent. These debates have gotten in the way of progression in schools for preventing the spread of disease. To me, the risks of not vaccinating children are far greater than the risks of adverse reactions.
First, I am going to talk about the reasons that vaccinations in America should be required. The vaccinations are not just for the individual themselves. They are for the entire community because it prevents a mass disease to spread throughout the house, community, country, or even world. If you get a vaccination, there is less of a chance to spreading it onto other people.
Vaccinations When it comes to vaccinations, there are many different opinions on immunizing a child, especially when that child’s parent has a strong like or dislike towards vaccinating. Immunizations have existed for at least a thousand years and as technology advances more, there are new vaccines being designed to help protect our children from contracting contagious and sometimes deadly diseases, such as Bordetella pertussis, polio, and even influenza. For decades, all 50 states have required that parents vaccinate their children against various diseases, including polio and measles, as a prerequisite to enrolling them in public schools (Ciolli, 2008). Enrollment in public school requires up to date vaccinations in order to protect the children and even the adults from contracting and spreading a disease, possibly causing an epidemic.
In every case where compulsory vaccinations were challenged, the Court upheld their constitutionality because they do not infringe on any rights. Notably, in Prince v. Massachusetts, the Court ruled that mandatory vaccines do not violate freedom of religion (Chemerinsky, Goodwin 606). In fact, the Court ruled religious exemption clauses as unlawful, since they only apply to students of a recognized denomination, as concluded in Brown v. Stone and Davis v. State (Chemerinsky, Goodwin 607-608). Furthermore, mandatory vaccines do not infringe on religious freedom because, “no matter how much a law burdens religious practices it is constitutional under [Employment v.] Smith so long as it does not single out religious behavior for punishment and was not motivated by a desire to interfere with religion” (Chemerinsky, Goodwin 609).