Argument Against Vaccination

There has always been resistance against vaccination, even when it was first developed by Edward Jenner. Despite the millions of deaths that been avoided through the use of vaccines, people have always found ways to criticize this medical breakthrough. However, it was not until recently that the fear of vaccinations began to re-emerge and confuse the minds of the general population. With the growing concerns about vaccinations, parents are becoming more reluctant in vaccinating themselves and their children. Consequently, infectious diseases that were once contained (such as measles) are now resurfacing as outbreaks. As less people vaccinate, the population becomes more vulnerable. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to dispel the myths

Some may oppose vaccinations due to religious reasons, safety concerns, or because they were given misinformation. Nonetheless, these people collectively form the “Anti-Vaccination Movement”. However, not all members of the movement are extremists – out to destroy the science of vaccinations. On one spectrum, there are genuinely concerned parents, who are unsure which side of the battle they should listen to. However, on the other end, there are extreme “anti-vaxxers” who view vaccines as ‘poisonous’ and a violation of human rights. Fundamentally, the all the members of the Anti-Vaccination Movement are concerned for their children’s health and are unsure on whether to trust anecdotal evidence or trust scientific

As their message spreads across the population, this induces fear and confusion into the general mass. This wildfire is further fueled by influential celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy and Donald Trump, that garner their mass followers to also adopt their beliefs. As more people are fed misinformation, the more reluctant the population will be on getting vaccinated. Consequently, as less people vaccinate, the more vulnerable the population becomes. This is evident with the recent measles outbreaks. When vaccination rates were high, measles outbreaks were virtually non-existent. However, with the anti-vaccination movements becoming more rampant, vaccination rates have been decreasing, and measles outbreaks are becoming more frequent. When less people refuse vaccinations, the probability that a person can pass the infection on to someone else increases. As a result, the infection rapidly spreads among unvaccinated individuals, leading to an outbreak. Whereas, if enough proportions of the population are vaccinated, then the infection cannot spread as easily, ultimately containing it. This concept is called “herd immunity”. The reason why herd immunity is important is because there are groups of people who cannot receive vaccines. This includes people with immunodeficiency