The Great Vaccination Debate

Imagine going to Disneyland with your kids to have fun and then returning home to learn your child has measles. There have been outbreaks of preventable diseases spreading throughout the United States due to citizens not receiving suggested vaccinations. When there is not enough evidence to convince parents that the vaccines actually work, the more people will continue to become sick. Americans who have not received the protection provided by vaccinations contribute to the spread of preventable diseases.

As suggested to parents by doctors, young children should receive vaccinations to be protected against very serious diseases such as measles. With children not being vaccinated, they could become sick quickly and could spread a disease as fast. If everyone would believe in the benefits of medications, many would not become as sick easily. According to Melissa Jenco, a few obstacles such as no transportation and doctors not being available at clinics stops the idea of the protection. Parents should talk to care coordinators and social workers about the lack of transportation. Being linked to individuals that can provide valuable resources for parents so that children can be vaccinated on time. Care coordinators would be more than happy to help patients resolve any problems stopping them from receiving necessary medical care. Here in Michigan, Metro Transportation Authority has a program called rides to wellness that will be able to transport anyone to their doctor's appointments. Rides cost up to eighty five cents, the only downfall is if your agency is not a partner with Metro Transportation Authority then you cannot use their transportation. Shanika Johnson, a local McLaren health plan worker said “A source from McLaren Health Plan states that members with McLaren medicaid can call into our center and request transportation services for doctor appointments with twentyfour notice. Members are also able to stop to pick up prescription drugs on their way home. This service is offered via taxi cab or the Metro Transportation Authority.” When children are born, doctors should ask parents if they will be able to make it to all checkups. When it comes down to doctors not being present at clinics, there’s nothing the patients could do but wait until there is an available doctor.

Beside not having a way to the doctors, not having a way to pay for the medication is stopping vaccinations from happening. Some people's main source of paying for medical visits is through their insurance company. Ones who do not have insurance have to pay for each visit, even if patients do have insurance their insurance company may not insure the medicine. Having to pay out of pocket could be extremely expensive, high prices cause people to not go. “Pediatricians can help by referring patients to participating providers.” suggests Dr. Cohn (aappublications.org). If parents were serious about vaccinating their children, they would search for sources that will provide the needed income.

After nineteen years, measles has returned to the United States and there has been outbreaks known to be spreading throughout the entire country. Author Carol Pearson says that recently outbreaks have occurred in Washington DC and Houston Texas. “There has been a total of fifty measle cases in Washington and five cases in Houston'(Pearson). Out of the 50 states in the United States, 18 states allow parents to decide if their children should be vaccinated. A few of the states that allow exemptions are Arizona, Michigan, Oregon, Washington, and Texas which is one of the states that was previously mentioned for having an outbreak. The only reason parents in the eighteen states are granted the choice to have their children vaccinated is because what the citizens may believe in might think the medication will harm the body. Common myths about vaccines are: vaccines cause autism, vaccines contain unsafe toxins, and Vaccines aren’t worth the risk (publichealth.org). None of these myths are true, so parents should take their children to the doctor so to become immune to the measles. The vaccine is known to be one hundred percent effective. United states surgeon General Gerome Adams says “as United States Surgeon General, I want everyone to know that the best protection is getting vaccinated” (Adams, 00:01:40 - 00:01:47).

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No parent would be happy to hear that their child has been infected with the measles, the parent would be angry at the carrier for spreading the disease. Emily K. Brunson, Associate Professor of Anthropology mentions “When the 2015 Disneyland measles epidemic infected over 100 children, for example, the backlash focused on parental choice. In the aftermath of the outbreak, social media posters brandished derogatory labels for parents who decided not to vaccinate their children, going so far as to suggest that such parents should be sued or put in jail.' Yes, the newly infected child’s parent has the right to be mad, but the parent has to realize that they are a part of the problem too when it comes to Americans not being vaccinated. “There’s a ninety five percent that the vaccine will be effective when a first dose is given” (Pearson). All of the one hundred children who were infected had no fault in why they became sick. To understand how an expecting mother feels about Americans not being vaccinated during the mass outbreaks of measles, an interview was conducted to hear her opinion. Aspen Johnson, a DHH teacher was asked how does she feel about the recent uproar regarding the measles outbreak. Her response “ I think that people should be vaccinated because it is not fair to others who become affected from them having their own personal beliefs. In my opinion, as someone who was born in the mid 1980s I am not well versed in the warning signs of the measles since it was eradicated during that time” (A. Johnson). A question that was also asked was “What are some precautions you will have to take once your children are born ? Do you plan on vaccinating your children ?.” The question was answered “Being that I am pregnant and that I work with children, I have to be very cautious. I’m not sure if all of my students are vaccinated, but I am so I should be safe from being infected. I will be having my children vaccinated as soon as the doctors say I can” (A. Johnson). Aspen said one last statement “ It is upsetting that people take a stand in what they believe in, but it their beliefs cause harm to innocent people as well.” It’s ok to for a person to respect their beliefs, but while doing that respect should be given out to others who don’t have the same beliefs.

Vaccines are available for plenty of diseases such as: measles, mumps, meningitis, and polio (caringforkids.cpa.ca). When a active virus is present in a community, the first thing non-vaccinated citizens should do if change their mind about vaccines and then go receive one as soon as possible. Staying away from others is the best way stop spreading the virus, stay home from school and work. “Follow recommendations to separate your child from others, including family members – especially newborn babies, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems or chronic diseases” (caringforkids.ca). When it comes to traveling, people with have a greater chance of catching a preventable disease. Majority of the diseases that are existing in the United States come from other countries, Europe, Asia, the Pacific and Africa are the main where the disease are caught and then spread to United States. Foreigners and people visited virus prone countries are the carriers. When it is time to go home, newly infected will either take a plane or a boat. On either form of transportation, there are people who unsafe due to the way some diseases spread. Measles for example“Measles is incredibly contagious,” “Once it gets around the community it’s very difficult because it’s airborne.” says Dr. Camille Sabella (voanews). The atmosphere will be contaminated for two hours after the carrier leaves and anyone who enters has a possibility of becoming sick. In order for someone who has already received the vaccine for measles to contract the disease is for the first dose to not shield the immune system. They would have to have a second dose to be sure that they are immune. As long as a person has enough doses to keep them safe, the chance of them being infected should be zero percent.

Having to go to the doctors is no ones favorite, especially younger children. The reason most children do not like going to the doctors is because they will have to receive shots. The shots are the vaccinations the children need, but children skip the appointments because they are scared. In an article by NBC news, ”Missed well-child visits are a primary driver of under-vaccinated children”, which is true. Children may say that they have the right to refuse going to the doctor, but it’s actually the parents fault for not forcing their children to go. The parents are the ones responsible of taking their child to their appointments, they should want to be aware of how their child’s health is. Prior to setting up a doctors appointment, parents who do not want their child to receive the suggested vaccines that the doctors subscribe should let the doctor be aware. Or even when we the family reaches the doctors office, the nurse could be notified of the parents decision. Even though the refusal will not be a good thing, at least the child has been seen by a medical official that can let the family figure out what the condition the child's health is in.

In the United States, the number of measle cases are under one hundred. The biggest case to be reported in the last few years has to be back in 2014, “six hundred and sixty seven people from twenty seven states were reported to have caught the virus” (cdc.gov). Majority of the infected people contained the virus from who got the measles in another country. Measles is the most dangerous for babies and young children. The young children's immune system does not have enough strength to fight the virus. In some cases where children have been suffering with the symptoms results in death. 'We are concerned about families having measles parties'(thehill.com), in New York parents are hosting parties where their children are being infected with the measles disease so that that can become immune. Mayor Bill de Blasio has suggested to parents to rush their children to a nearby clinic during this time of as parents are practicing their own form of vaccines. When the citizens who are participating in the “measle parties” are done, other citizens should still to continue to be vaccinated so that if another outbreak happens, they will be fully protected.

The topic of American not being vaccinated is important because unvaccinated people are putting others lives in harm. The lives in harm may be unvaccinated also, but they will soon be aware that the best decision when it comes to staying healthy is to receive the needed vaccines. The selfish people who are not thinking about getting the vaccine need to care about others lives too even if they think it’s best to not be vaccinated, they are the ones held in fault. This problem seems that it cannot be solved since everyone in the world has their own opinion, no one can change what someone thinks.