Donna gives birth to seemingly healthy infant. Donna does not feel the need to give her baby vaccines because she thinks it will hurt her daughter more than help her. A few months later, Donna’s little girl contracts whooping cough because Donna refused to get her vaccinated. Sadly, the disease is too much for the young infant’s immune system. She passes away, losing her battle with the disease. Years later, Donna becomes pregnant again after mourning the loss of her little girl. She gives birth to a baby boy this time, and chooses to have him vaccinated as soon as doctors allow it. Donna does not want to make the same mistake again. This problem, does not just affect young infants and their families. The problem remains whether parents should
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All 50 states allow medical exemptions, but only 48 offer religious exemptions. Additionally, twenty of those 48 provide broader opt out based on “personal beliefs”. The issue with this remains risking herd immunity- a public health principle where approximately 92 to 94 percent of people are vaccinated. This immunity can help prevent contagious diseases from spreading (Haynes A.2). If herd immunity is threatened by lack of vaccination, this puts a vast majority of the population at risk because of those who cannot receive a vaccine, for example newborns or children with cancer or serious immune-system disorders (Reddy D.1). Educating parents about herd immunity is not enough. States should revise laws and find ways to make opting out of vaccinating their children more challenging. States should also inform all parents about the science behind the benefits of vaccination, and the health risks involved with the community for refusing vaccines (Haynes A.2). With revised laws, only allowing religious belief exemption, the spread of disease will likely decrease. This will also help strengthen herd immunity, and save a portion of the population who cannot receive vaccines themselves. This proposed plan could become another solution to the problem involving
All 50 states allow medical exemptions, but only 48 offer religious exemptions. Additionally, twenty of those 48 provide broader opt out based on “personal beliefs”. The issue with this remains risking herd immunity- a public health principle where approximately 92 to 94 percent of people are vaccinated. This immunity can help prevent contagious diseases from spreading (Haynes A.2). If herd immunity is threatened by lack of vaccination, this puts a vast majority of the population at risk because of those who cannot receive a vaccine, for example newborns or children with cancer or serious immune-system disorders (Reddy D.1). Educating parents about herd immunity is not enough. States should revise laws and find ways to make opting out of vaccinating their children more challenging. States should also inform all parents about the science behind the benefits of vaccination, and the health risks involved with the community for refusing vaccines (Haynes A.2). With revised laws, only allowing religious belief exemption, the spread of disease will likely decrease. This will also help strengthen herd immunity, and save a portion of the population who cannot receive vaccines themselves. This proposed plan could become another solution to the problem involving