Child Vaccination: A Necessity for Public Health

Would you intentionally put your children in harm’s way? Of course not! Parents would never want their children to suffer, especially if there was a way to protect them. However, some parents put their children at risk for deadly diseases by refusing to vaccinate them. If your children are not properly vaccinated, then they are vulnerable to harmful diseases. Vaccines have eliminated many diseases and saved millions of lives. There is currently no federal law that requires vaccination. However, if we do not immunize our children, we are putting them and others at risk for diseases that we can prevent. Children should be vaccinated for their safety and for the well being of the community. To make an informed decision about whether or not to

However, an article written by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases titled, “Vaccine Safety” explains that this fear is erroneous. The article states, “All vaccines used in the United States are required to go through years of extensive safety testing before they are licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) work with healthcare providers throughout the US to monitor the safety of vaccines.” This source explains that our vaccines are tested many times to prevent any health concerns. They are also closely observed to ensure that they are safe for continued use. Another concern of parents is that the use of Thimerosal in some vaccines may cause autism. A 2003 study conducted by a team of doctors (Stehr-Green et al), entitled “Autism and Thimerosal-containing Vaccines”, investigated a potential link between autism and Thimerosal. They studied rates of autism in California, Sweden, and Denmark and compared them to the rates of Thimerosal in the same areas. The study failed to find any connection between autism rates and these vaccines and therefore concluded that Thimerosal-containing vaccines do not cause autism. An article by the CDC, “Thimerosal in Vaccines”, does note that minor allergic reactions, like redness and swelling at the site of injection, have been linked to Thimerosal in some people. However, the study suggests that benefits of immunity to harmful diseases greatly outweigh any potential dangers caused by minor side