Immunization Task

The Importance of Immunization for Children

The centers for disease control has always recommended for kids not more than six years to receive at least 29 doses of 9 vaccines. That notwithstanding it is recommended that kids that are over six months to get an annual flu shot. However, what stands out is that there are no federal laws that make mandatory for one to receive vaccination. However, in all the 40 states there are requirements for all children to get particular vaccinations prior to joining public schools (Klein 98). Nonetheless there are religious and medical exemptions offered while there are those that allow for philosophical exemptions. The paper will therefore delve to outline that indeed immunization is key to the future of our children and therefore it should be mandatory.

The Debate on Immunization

The issue of whether immunization should be legalized or discontinued is one that has gained attention in the recent times with both sides providing strong points to justify their position. Proponents note that vaccinations are safe and is one of the biggest milestone that has been achieved in the 20th century. Benefits of Vaccination

Further they provide that illnesses such as polio, small pox, diphtheria, rubell and whopping cough are now preventable through vaccinations and therefore millions that have been saved due to it (Winger, Edward, and Jane 66). That notwithstanding adverse conditions are very rare. On the other hand, the opponents strongly hold that the children’s immune system is one that is strong enough to deal with various infections naturally. Therefore, the injection of vaccines whose quality is questionable is subject to cause various side effects such as death, paralysis and even death. That notwithstanding they note that there are numerous that can prove that immunization was the cause of the increase in diabetes, ADHD and autism

The Benefits of Immunization

Vaccines have over the years been known to save lives and based on the American academy of pediatrics there is 90%-99% success rate in vaccines preventing diseases. Further the UN notes that through immunization there are over 2.5 million lives saved annually from diseases that are preventable. In specific this is similar to approximately 280 children being saved every hour. Back home, the CDC has specifically outlined that there are approximately 700,000 lives saved from death between 1994 to 2014 and also 322 million prevented children related illnesses in the same period (Winger, Edward, and Jane 67). Further it is important to note that measles vaccine has been instrumental in decreasing deaths among children. Therefore, based on these statistics it is clear that immunization is a milestone in the provision of healthcare. The number of deaths averted is significant enough to merit the implementation of immunization as a law and one that compels every parent to have their children immunized.

Safety Standards of Vaccines

One of the major points that opponents provide is that the ingredients in these vaccines is not safe. Ingredients for instance aluminum, formaldehyde and thimerosal which are present in vaccines are known to be harmful to the body. However, this has to be in large dose for them to be harmful but what is used in vaccines is in very small doses and therefore safe. It is important to note that infants are more exposed to larger amounts of aluminum present in mother’s breast milk when compared to the quantities present in vaccines (Fortunato et al 121). That notwithstanding children tend to be more exposed to toxins, viruses, bacteria and other harmful substances on their day to day lives than compared to what proponents of its abolition would want people to believe. However, with the exception of thimerosal which is known as being a mercury compound, it has been reduced and removed in vaccines administered to children under 6 years. Therefore, the safety standards are guaranteed and even the FDA now necessitates that vaccines be tested for at least 10 years before they are licensed. Further there is an extensive evaluation of vaccines by the FDA and CDC in ensuring that they are safe.

Immunization’s Eradication of Diseases

Another major point that supports immunization is that vaccines can be accredited to the eradication of small pox and has nearly eradicated polio. It is certain that the certain generation is completely unaware that small pox at one point was a disease that extensively affected children and had adverse effects. The last reported case of small pox was in 1948 in the US and as 2012 there has never been any small pox or polio reported in the US. Globally polio cases in 2016 were only a mere 500 down from approximately 300,000 cases back in 1988 (Rundblad 89). The recent cases were only present in three nations; Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan. Therefore, this is an indication if immunization was not encouraged on care givers and mothers 30 years ago, the cases of polio and small pox would be on the rise. Further the infant mortality rates as a result to these diseases would be high and indication that significant program has been made.

Concerns and Opposition to Immunization

The major reason that opponents of vaccination provide is that they have serious side effects on children. According to the CDC, vaccines may have fatal allergic reaction in some of the children. Additionally, the rotavirus vaccines can result to intussusception in one in every 20000 babes that have been vaccinated in the US. On the other hand, Rundblad (90) notes that there is likelihood of permanent brain damage, lowered consciousness, coma and seizures due to MMR vaccines and the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccines. However, this has been noted to occur in rare cases. Further the CDC outlines a disease such as pneumonia can arise as a result of children being immunized against chickenpox. Finally, the national vaccine information center notes that chronic inflammation, diabetes, autism, asthma and learning disabilities can be as a result of certain vaccines.

Individual Choice and Freedom

Additionally, those that oppose tend to note that the government has no right in intervening in an individual medical choice. They outline that the decision to immunize children should solely be left to the caregivers and parents. It is certain that the government cannot force its citizens to be administered with product whose side effects and toxicity is unknown as this amounts to the limit in individual freedom. They outline that this is most basic freedom and due to the fact we live in a free society is clearly indicative that people should be given the sovereignty over their bodies (Fortunato et al 126) Therefore, if the government wants to force medical decisions on its people then this an indication that people are slaves to practice what the state wants.

Conclusion

There are credible arguments provided on both sides and therefore it is certain that an amicable solution is attained. The world certainly can’t slip back to the old days where diseases such whopping cough and small pox claimed the lives of many children. Therefore, it would be important that stringent measures are put in place to eradicate the side effects and also extensive sensitization needs to be done to clear stereotypes that surround immunization. It is certainly one of the milestone of the healthcare industry in the 20th century and therefore needs to be upheld for the future generations.

Works cited

Fortunato, F., et al. “Household sources of pertussis infection: contributing to the debate over the best immunization strategies to protect young infants.” 33rd Annual Meeting of the European Society For Paediatric Infetious Diseases. 2015.

Klein, Michael C. ”Nothing fails like success—the great immunization debate.” Birth 42.2 (2015): 97-99.

Rundblad, Gabriella. ”Why some messages speak better: Child immunization in the news and on the Internet.” Current drug safety 10.1 (2015): 87-93.

Winger, Edward E., and Jane L. Reed. ”Debate: Should Immunotherapy Be Used? Lymphocyte Immunization Therapy—Yes.” Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: Causes, Controversies, and Treatment (2014): 249.