Numerous battles were fought for the right to exercise one’s own beliefs without interference from governing systems. As Dr. Douglas Opel and Dr. Douglas Diekema recap “. . . it is important to remember that exemptions to vaccine mandates exist in order to reduce perceptions of coercion and interference with parental choice,” (Opel). Forcing parents and children to get injects would be immoral. For everyone in society it is extremely important to have the freedom of choice. So long as the choice at hand does not cause harm to other members of society it should not be dictated for them. “In general, the potential risks of harm to the unimmunized child and other school children do not seem disproportionately great so as to justify disrespecting parental authority by forcing immunization,” explains Dr. Opel. There is no denying that choice is important. However, a person’s health is also important. Currently there are restrictions when obtaining a vaccine exemption. Nonetheless, it could prove beneficial if both parties revisited those restrictions and compromised. Both doctors explain in one sentence what should be done to appease both sides of this long debate. “In the effort to strike a balance between parental autonomy and public health, it seems more appropriate to focus on how we can change, not eliminate, the process of granting personal belief exemptions,”
Numerous battles were fought for the right to exercise one’s own beliefs without interference from governing systems. As Dr. Douglas Opel and Dr. Douglas Diekema recap “. . . it is important to remember that exemptions to vaccine mandates exist in order to reduce perceptions of coercion and interference with parental choice,” (Opel). Forcing parents and children to get injects would be immoral. For everyone in society it is extremely important to have the freedom of choice. So long as the choice at hand does not cause harm to other members of society it should not be dictated for them. “In general, the potential risks of harm to the unimmunized child and other school children do not seem disproportionately great so as to justify disrespecting parental authority by forcing immunization,” explains Dr. Opel. There is no denying that choice is important. However, a person’s health is also important. Currently there are restrictions when obtaining a vaccine exemption. Nonetheless, it could prove beneficial if both parties revisited those restrictions and compromised. Both doctors explain in one sentence what should be done to appease both sides of this long debate. “In the effort to strike a balance between parental autonomy and public health, it seems more appropriate to focus on how we can change, not eliminate, the process of granting personal belief exemptions,”