Vaccine. A term heard often throughout one’s life. However, does one truly understand what a vaccine is, or does? It is these type of questions that create doubt amongst the public in regards to receiving vaccines, or immunizations, not only for themselves, but their families as well. The issue of enforcing mandatory vaccinations, or immunizations amongst the public has been both a healthcare, and government issue for many years.
The issue in itself does not just narrow down to should we, or should we not? It branches into far more complex dilemmas such as, safety of immunizations/vaccinations; relevancy of product to current times; violation of public autonomy; government and healthcare boundaries; and the effectiveness of the product. …show more content…
The best way to do this in regards to vaccines, and immunizations is to understand what vaccines/immunizations are; how they work/use; the history behind them, and the anti-vaccine movement. How are the terms vaccine, and immunization exactly defined? According the World Health Organization (2016), the term vaccine is defined as, “a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.” While the term immunization is defined as the “protection of susceptible individuals from communicable diseases by administration of a living modified agent, a suspension of killed organisms, or an inactivated toxin” (Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, 2012, p. 844). What can be collected from both definitions is that vaccines, and immunizations, are made to help, or protect an individual, not harm. Now that the terms vaccine, and immunization have been defined, one can move on to understanding how a vaccine, or immunization actually works in the body. According to the (World Health Organization, 2016) vaccine, or immunization affects the body after administration, by stimulating the immune system. As a result, the body’s immune system identifies the antigen from the vaccine, or immunizations as a foreign body and attacks it. The immune system also programs, creates and stores away specific antigen antibodies for future use, if the antigen appears
The issue in itself does not just narrow down to should we, or should we not? It branches into far more complex dilemmas such as, safety of immunizations/vaccinations; relevancy of product to current times; violation of public autonomy; government and healthcare boundaries; and the effectiveness of the product. …show more content…
The best way to do this in regards to vaccines, and immunizations is to understand what vaccines/immunizations are; how they work/use; the history behind them, and the anti-vaccine movement. How are the terms vaccine, and immunization exactly defined? According the World Health Organization (2016), the term vaccine is defined as, “a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.” While the term immunization is defined as the “protection of susceptible individuals from communicable diseases by administration of a living modified agent, a suspension of killed organisms, or an inactivated toxin” (Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, 2012, p. 844). What can be collected from both definitions is that vaccines, and immunizations, are made to help, or protect an individual, not harm. Now that the terms vaccine, and immunization have been defined, one can move on to understanding how a vaccine, or immunization actually works in the body. According to the (World Health Organization, 2016) vaccine, or immunization affects the body after administration, by stimulating the immune system. As a result, the body’s immune system identifies the antigen from the vaccine, or immunizations as a foreign body and attacks it. The immune system also programs, creates and stores away specific antigen antibodies for future use, if the antigen appears