Should Vaccinations Be Mandatory? Every year, millions of Americans receive immunizations. Schools require a number of vaccinations before enrollment, and a number of jobs also require you to be vaccinated. These measures are taken not only to protect yourself, but also those who you come in contact with. For example, workers in the medical field come in contact with a number of viruses and diseases everyday. Without vaccinations, these jobs could become very dangerous. On the other hand, some studies have linked vaccinations to autism, fatal allergic reactions, and other medical issues. Also, some religions stray away from immunizations. All of these factors raise a tough, ethical question to answer...Should certain vaccinations become mandatory? …show more content…
The immune system is the body’s first defense against germs. When someone receives an immunization, a miniscule portion of the virus, known as an antigen, is injected into body. These antigens are not fully functioning viruses, instead they are weak or even dead {“Vaccine Ingredients”}. This allows the body to build an immunity to the foreign germ without being harmed. The immune system will attack the antigen as if it were fully functioning, producing antibodies to fight the germ. After the immune system has done this, that particular strain of virus will no longer be harmful to the body {Konkel}. Ever since humanity has been exposed to germs, the body has been mostly successful at survival without vaccinations. However, modern day immunizations have allowed the population to become less susceptible to life-threatening