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Patrice A. Harris MD, an American Medical Association Board of Trustees member, states, “When people are immunized they also help prevent the spread of disease to others. As evident from the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland, protecting community health in today’s mobile society requires that policymakers not permit individuals from opting out of immunization solely as a matter of personal preference or convenience,” (Wofford). Legislation in all 50 states requires specific vaccines for students entering public schooling. There are set age deadlines for certain shots, and a record must be provided to the school. Yet illness and deaths of preventable diseases are still occurring because people are opting out of vaccination. Most states …show more content…
As exemptions for mandatory vaccinations are on the rise, so is disease within both the unvaccinated along with the vaccinated population. Communities with high exemption rates face a high risk of deadly diseases. According to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, “In Philadelphia in 1990-91, nine children died from measles centered in a religious community that shunned vaccination,” (“Vaccination Exemptions’). Religious communities who As people opt out of vaccinations, the effectiveness of the vaccinated people dwindles. “In some suburban areas, rates of exemption were near to 50 percent, and more than a quarter of California’s schools have immunization rates below the 92 to 94 percent required for herd immunity, the level of vaccination necessary to protect people who are not immune,” (“Childhood: Rich, White and Anti-Vaccine”). Exempting from vaccinations not only puts a community at risk, but in addition is a violation of the vaccinated population’s …show more content…
Some believe that one’s right to privacy is invaded when the government forces their constituents to be vaccinated. “...Justice, Cardozo in Schloendorff v. Society of New York Hospital: ‘Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body,’ regarding medical needs,” (Malone). The CDC released evidence that suggests vaccines can resort in febrile seizures, a seizure caused by a fever, “A CDC study has shown a small increased risk for febrile seizures during the 24 hours after a child receives the inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) at the same time as the pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate (PCV13) vaccine or the diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine,” (“Childhood Vaccines and Febrile”). Although not likely, negative side effects such as febrile seizures are possible post vaccination. Another counterargument is that some of the mandatory vaccines do not apply to people, especially children. “With hepatitis B vaccine, the argument has been that most hepatitis B occurs in adults whose sexual or drug-using behavior puts them at risk and that school children should not be forced to be vaccinated against a disease that often results from voluntary behavior of adults,” (Malone). While privacy rights, safety, and relativity do bring up valid arguments, the public’s health is
Patrice A. Harris MD, an American Medical Association Board of Trustees member, states, “When people are immunized they also help prevent the spread of disease to others. As evident from the recent measles outbreak at Disneyland, protecting community health in today’s mobile society requires that policymakers not permit individuals from opting out of immunization solely as a matter of personal preference or convenience,” (Wofford). Legislation in all 50 states requires specific vaccines for students entering public schooling. There are set age deadlines for certain shots, and a record must be provided to the school. Yet illness and deaths of preventable diseases are still occurring because people are opting out of vaccination. Most states …show more content…
As exemptions for mandatory vaccinations are on the rise, so is disease within both the unvaccinated along with the vaccinated population. Communities with high exemption rates face a high risk of deadly diseases. According to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, “In Philadelphia in 1990-91, nine children died from measles centered in a religious community that shunned vaccination,” (“Vaccination Exemptions’). Religious communities who As people opt out of vaccinations, the effectiveness of the vaccinated people dwindles. “In some suburban areas, rates of exemption were near to 50 percent, and more than a quarter of California’s schools have immunization rates below the 92 to 94 percent required for herd immunity, the level of vaccination necessary to protect people who are not immune,” (“Childhood: Rich, White and Anti-Vaccine”). Exempting from vaccinations not only puts a community at risk, but in addition is a violation of the vaccinated population’s …show more content…
Some believe that one’s right to privacy is invaded when the government forces their constituents to be vaccinated. “...Justice, Cardozo in Schloendorff v. Society of New York Hospital: ‘Every human being of adult years and sound mind has a right to determine what shall be done with his own body,’ regarding medical needs,” (Malone). The CDC released evidence that suggests vaccines can resort in febrile seizures, a seizure caused by a fever, “A CDC study has shown a small increased risk for febrile seizures during the 24 hours after a child receives the inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) at the same time as the pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate (PCV13) vaccine or the diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine,” (“Childhood Vaccines and Febrile”). Although not likely, negative side effects such as febrile seizures are possible post vaccination. Another counterargument is that some of the mandatory vaccines do not apply to people, especially children. “With hepatitis B vaccine, the argument has been that most hepatitis B occurs in adults whose sexual or drug-using behavior puts them at risk and that school children should not be forced to be vaccinated against a disease that often results from voluntary behavior of adults,” (Malone). While privacy rights, safety, and relativity do bring up valid arguments, the public’s health is