Mandatory Vaccinations for School Children We have all raised our eyebrows when the person sitting the row behind us starts coughing, and not just the “soda went down the wrong pipe” cough, but the real, mucus breaking, uncontrollable hacking. Likewise, many of us have also tried to not get too close to the person with the visibly red, irritated nose and the constant sniffling that comes with the absence of a tissue. As a society, we tend to be conscious of the threat of contracting a disease, but regardless of these common concerns, opposition to mandated vaccinations for school-attending children continue to be raised. The effectiveness and overall safety of vaccines have repeatedly been questioned by society (especially when it comes to vaccinating infants and young children), and some studies have possibly even shown the danger of certain vaccinations. However, upon closer examination, it is clear that vaccines have prevented more disease and have improved the overall health of the United States, and consequently, should—with few exceptions—continue to be mandated in our school system.
Laws and Mandates in the United States
To fully understand the argument for mandated vaccinations, it is important to understand how different States define the word, “mandate,” and the Supreme Court’s reasoning behind upholding vaccination laws. Many would associate the word “mandate” with an order or command, or something that signifies requirement or inexcusableness, but States’
Between 1924 and 2013, vaccinations prevented 103 million cases of polio, measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, diphtheria, and pertussis (Bailey). Vaccinating is “the process by which pathogenic cells are injected into a healthy person in an attempt to cause the body to develop antibodies to a particular virus or bacterium—successful creation of antibodies is referred to as immunity to the disease caused by the particular pathogen” (Introduction to Should Vaccinations be Mandatory). Popular conflicts regarding vaccination include the worry that this form of immunization isn’t natural, the idea that vaccination schedule for children in the U.S. takes away parents’ rights to make decisions for their children, and the concern that vaccinations aren’t safe for all children. Most doctors and scientists advocate for vaccinations in the name of herd immunity, protection against foreign diseases and prevention against pockets of disease outbreaks. Vaccinations should be mandatory for all children in the United States for who they are deemed safe and effective.
Mandatory vaccinations have been hotly debated in the United States for over two centuries, making the argument almost as old as the country itself. As early as 1809, Massachusetts became the first state to mandate the world’s premiere vaccine. Authorities recognized the life-saving benefits of the smallpox vaccine. They chose to require inoculation to protect the community from further outbreaks. Public outrage ensued as some community members feared the new vaccine and believed they should be able to choose if they wished to receive it. The most vocal protestors formed anti-compulsory vaccination groups and were successful in getting laws overturned in many states. However, even the United States Supreme Court has upheld states’ rights to require immunization. (A) Vaccinations should be
Consequently, it becomes vital for all children who attend school to receive proper vaccinations. Due to the simple fact that not only do vaccinations protect the children who receives the administered shots, it also protects other children in the school. Subsequently, if children do not receive proper vaccinations it will endanger “both the health of the children themselves as well as others who would not be exposed to preventable illnesses” (Daley, Glanz). Once one child obtains a disease, it
Before starting this course, I believed that people should have the right to vaccinate, or not vaccinate their children. After this week's content, I still hold the similar belief. I feel it is a human right to make personal decisions such as vaccinations; yet I have always hoped families would make the right choice for the majority. I feel the right choice is to vaccinate. There are doubts and concerns with everything in life, so vaccinations are no different. I have believed that if a parent chooses not to vaccinate their children, they should notify all of their friends and family about their choice. Letting family and friends know is important because their choice could ultimately affect the family and friends or their children. I do agree with daycares and
Over the years, there has been much controversy surrounding the subject of childhood vaccinations. With differing opinions, many are in favor about childhood vaccinations being required for children. Children vaccinations have been proven to be an effective means of preventing serious effects, including fatalities, from childhood illnesses yet there is still controversy over whether the risk of side effects from the vaccines outweighs the risk of contracting diseases. The belief behind mandatory vaccinations has been linked to people wanting vaccinations to be required for children because it will prevent the spread of childhood diseases, but there are still questions and concerns around why childhood vaccinations should be required. Questions surrounding this topic are: why should vaccines be required, are there any serious risks involved in vaccinating your child, and should children be turned away from school if they do not have vaccinations? There is also the question of should these vaccinations be mandatory or should this solely be a choice that the parents of the child should make? In order for us to be able to take our stance on the subject, we need to examine the answers to the question.
“Prevention is better than cure.” This common statement could not relate any better than it does with the controversy surrounding the morality, effectiveness, and safety of childhood immunizations. The major argument is whether or not laws should be established to declare vaccination mandatory for all children. “The US food and Drug administration (FDA) regulates all vaccines to ensure safety and effectiveness,” (ProCon.org, 2012) therefor there should not be any reason to risk the health of any child. Vaccinating our children not only ensures their safety but also that of their future to come.
29. What is the text mainly about? A. Vaccines for children B. Fake news about vaccines C. The fear of being vaccine D. The importance of measles-rubella vaccines E. Attempts to apply measles-rubella vaccines 30.
The debate over whether states should require parents to vaccinate their child has existed since the first vaccine in 1796. As long as there are vaccinations, there will be an argument against them. When babies are born, doctors will tell parents about all the vaccinations children need until their 18th birthday. Doctors recommend children to be vaccinated against 14 different diseases before they turn two. However, some parents don’t believe that vaccinations are necessary, and if they aren’t necessary, then they would rather not have their children getting needles put in their bodies multiple times. Recently, parents have advocated against vaccines, and in response highly educated physicians have argued the science behind vaccinations creating a huge debate over whether states should require child vaccinations.
The immunization of children plays a critical role in the health and protection of society as a whole. By implementing the use of vaccines, we as a society have eradicated diseases that one hundred years ago, decimated populations. Many people are allowed to choose and are exempt from state vaccinations, and this is a problem because people are allowed to bring in many different diseases that could decimate populations. In order to prevent these diseases from haunting our population again, laws must be implemented in order to prevent the spread of diseases.
Immunizations should be mandatory in the United States because it helps families save a lot of money. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “ Vaccines cost less in time and money to obtain than infectious diseases cost in time off of work to care for a child”( The Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Vaccines are beneficial to the community. Many families can take the opportuniy to save money by allowing their kids to get vaccines. By getting vaccines for their children, parents save a lot of their money because they are not obtaining more expensive and intense medication for their children due to their children’s worse condition. If they do not receive vaccines, children can become exposed to infectious diseases that will require more energy
Vaccinations are designed to help people go through their everyday life. A country doctor, Edward Jenner, who lived in Berkeley, England, first administered vaccines in 1796 (Health Affairs). Throughout history, vaccinations have become better to where they are safer for the human body. Everyone should get vaccinated against certain disease to stay healthy. Vaccines have been proven to make people immune to serious diseases (Childhood Immunization). By being vaccinated the person is not only helping themselves but others around them too. Vaccines are an important tool for preventing disease and should be mandatory for all people.
The Center for Disease Control describes vaccines as the greatest development in public health since clean drinking water. For several decades, vaccines have saved countless lives and helped eradicate some fatal diseases. The push to do away with vaccines will not only endanger our youth, but our society as a whole. Vaccination is needed to maintain a healthy balance within our country. Vaccines provide the immunity that comes from a natural infection without the consequences of a natural infection. Vaccinations save an ever-growing amount of lives every year. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 732,000 American children were saved from death and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014 due to vaccination (“Vaccine ProCon”).
“If everything is God 's will, then so is the invention of the vaccine, just like the seatbelt.”-Els Borst. This is relevant because if vaccinations were not an effective medical advancement, then they would not have ever been created or used. Vaccinations should be required by governments for the well being of everyone, with the exception of religious obligation. A resistance to vaccine requirements is that some people think vaccinations are propaganda from the government as some sort of money maker or poison. Also, most do not realize that refusing vaccinations for themselves or their children affects more than just that specific person. The key to acceptance of government required vaccinations is good information. People need more information so they know what vaccinations are and what they do. The more educated the general public is on the matter, the more likely they will be willing to support these government mandates.
Imagine two children; one who has been completely vaccinated, and the other has never been vaccinated. Both children fall ill from the same virus, but the child who had been vaccinated fully recovers, while the child who was not passes away due to complications. That child’s life could have been saved if the child received the proper vaccinations. Ever since the invention of the Smallpox vaccine more than two centuries ago, there has been an abundance of controversy over the morality, ethics, effectiveness, and safety of vaccinations and immunizations. It has recently been argued whether laws should be introduced that render some or all vaccines mandatory for all children. Parents, health care specialists, nurses, teachers, and children
It used to be that vaccinations were considered a normal part of childhood, right along with loosing teeth and toilet training. However, in recent years vaccinations have become an extremely hot button issue, with many parents actually choosing not to vaccinate their children. The idea seems preposterous considering how many people were left with twisted backs, and withered limbs due to polio, or the amount of deaths as a result of measles. To see someone who has been left in an iron lung from a disease that is now preventable, and still choose not to prevent the disease seems absolutely asinine, and yet many parents are doing just that. Sadly, much of the fear of vaccines stems from Dr. Andrew Wakefield, and his fraudulent research that