Mandatory Vaccines Should Be Mandatory

Mandatory VaccinationsGood Morning!My name is Fatema and today I will be talking to you about introducing a policy thatmakes all vaccines mandatory. Immunization is process that makes an individual immune orresistant to a certain diseases, by administrating vaccines. Vaccines are basically the proof forthe saying “practice makes perfect”. The process involves introducing the microbes of aninfectious disease in a controlled amount to allow the body’s immune system to fight it. Oncethe body has fought off a mild case of the disease it will now remember the process and bebetter prepared in the case of an actual attack. Since vaccines were first invented – small pox- over two centuries ago, it has been surrounded by controversies over issues such

The reason this has become a wide debate is due the greatnumber of stake holders that is; parents, doctors, nurses, and the community in general. Mostadvocates say that the decision to vaccinate themselves or their children must ultimatelydepend on them and their judgement. While healthcare officials oppose this on the groundsthat making vaccination mandatory we could protect the children and others from diseasesthat are vaccine preventable. The debate comes down to concept of risk aversion and howrisky vaccines really are. Through my speech I hope to convince you that mandating vaccinesis beneficiary to individuals, the society and the economy.I would now like to elaborate on why I believe vaccines should be made mandatory.An individual who chooses not to take a vaccination affects not only themselves but also thesociety. Herd Immunity, is a concept that implies that each individual is only as immune to adisease as his society or the people he surrounds himself with. This implies, that even oneindividual that opts out of vaccines could harm the overall immunity of the herd.

Oneof the major concerns of parents that are against mandating vaccines, is the costs associatedwith administering them. However, if the vaccines are mandated by the government thiscould save a lot of the costs associated. As governments would possibly subsidise thevaccines to promote their administration. Another reason for the costs to lower would bebasic economy. With the demand for vaccines increasing the price per vaccines wouldprobably reduce.There are, however, some arguments that are against mandating vaccines. One of themost common and talked about arguments are the risks associated with vaccineadministration. There have been multiple theories that thimerosal – an organic form ofmercury – present in some flu vaccines for children and adults. This element is said to havebeen the cause of autism. However, this theory has been proved wrong multiple times. In myresearch I found a study “designed to look at adverse events after MMR vaccines, whichfollowed 1.8 million children for 14 years, did not document a single case of autism or IBDas a consequence of MMR vaccination”. Another, argument against this is that elementsgenerally considered harmful, are only so when taken is large amounts. However, mostmedications only contain trace amounts of these elements. Although, I do understand whymany parents would still be scared, but instead of not taking the vaccination wouldn’t it bebetter