Countering the Anti-Vaccination Movement: A Necessity

You Can’t Make Me

Swine flu. Monkeypox. Measles. Rabies. Whooping Cough. Tetanus. Yellow Fever. Throughout history, these diseases have wiped out people groups or prematurely ended lives; however, through the mandating of preventative measures such as vaccines, modern medicine has enabled us to eradicate most of these diseases. Virtually disease-free, America continued to be a forerunner in life expectancy until the anti-vaccination movement began. Because of concerns regarding the preservatives used in vaccines as well as the role of government in mandating medical care, some individuals felt it their right to refuse. Although some Americans have begun to opt out, vaccinations are an important aspect of life that should not be optional; every

American should be required to get vaccinated in order to avoid widespread epidemics.
Despite the relief many felt from the onset of vaccinations as mandatory for admittance to school, some claim that these vaccinations should be optional.

Naturally, the risks involved are inherent, and proponents of the anti-vaccinations movement are keen to frequently point this out. Even the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a government entity charged with the safety of health for Americans explains that “no vaccine is completely harmless” because “all have the possibility of certain side effects” ("The Benefits of Vaccination”). In spite of this information, individuals need to realize that there are side effects to almost everything in life. Not a day goes by that humans take a breath and don’t encounter some form of risk. The greater question is not: “Are there risks?”, but society must ask, “Are the risks worth the benefit?” These questions apply to vaccinations as well. Some risks might not be viewed as worth it though, such as an increased chance of a child developing autism after receiving a vaccination. This link is attributed to Andrew Wakefield, a “former practicing physician from the United Kingdom who gained global fame as the lead author of a 1998 research article that claimed to have found a link between the MMR vaccine”. This report, according to Wakefield, included his “observations into a 200 page report… which was the basis of [his] impression that the MMR vaccine was inadequately tested for safety certainly compared with the single vaccines”

(Wakefield). Despite the fact that Mr. Wakefield has made the claim that his report was valid, there is not conclusive evidence to support his assertion. If society is to support individuals making their own decisions regarding opting out of vaccinations at the risk of the rest of the community, then it must be decided upon with a mountain of evidence- reliable evidence- to condone that decision. With this in mind, our nation must consider if this lack of evidence and the risk-reward ratio is sufficient to give individuals the right to opt-out, or if the government should mandate vaccinations nationwide.
Requiring every American student to be vaccinated isn’t simply a cautionary act, but it is a protection against pandemics that could wipe out our entire society.

Across America, millions of young children walk into schools expecting to be taken care of, expecting to be safe. Millions of parents send their precious progeny out into the world trusting that the educators to whom they entrust their children’s lives will keep them safe. Millions of dollars are spent putting in state of the art security systems to keep students safe from rogue killers, yet these same schools allow unvaccinated students to walk through the doors as walking time bombs. These students, if vaccinated, could help prevent the “$10 billion worth of healthcare costs and over 30,000 otherwise avoidable deaths in America each year” (Ciolli). These avoidable deaths are so simple to prevent with just a few pricks of a needle, and yet thousands of Americans continue to put their own children at risk as well as the lives of those around them. Beyond just the protection of children, vaccinations are instrumental in protecting Americans from the tragedy of an outbreak of a preventable disease. Healthcare officials have discovered a phenomena known as “herd immunity”. As Steven L. Weinreb states in his New York Times article, “if 75 percent to 95 percent of the population” are immunized then those around them who cannot be vaccinated are safe. Therefore, Americans must understand that vaccinations are not just

about their own children; vaccinations are also for those who cannot get vaccinated. Weinreb suffers from chronic leukemia and due to a stem-cell transplant is therefore extremely susceptible to anyone with commonly preventable diseases. Herd immunity allows him to function normally without catching a disease. As he explains, “your measles vaccine protects me against the measles” (Weinreb). Any self-respecting person should be more than willing to vaccinate themselves and their children in order to help the greater good.
And the greater good is in much need of help. If each American would do their civic duty and vaccinate their children, then all of America’s children would be protected from preventable deaths and the entire community would benefit from the prevention of exposure via herd immunity. Vaccinations aren’t just about an individual; they are about our society, our children, our future, and each American must do their part.