The Great Vaccine Debate

Once upon a time people fought for the widespread use of vaccines to stop terrible diseases such as polio, small pox, measles and mumps.  However, these days there are two sides of debate, where there are people that do not administer vaccines to their children out of fear of harm from autism or other side effects, and those that across the board allow their children to be vaccinated.

There has been a long debate about the issue of vaccinations, and so today Frontline on PBS featured a piece entitled: “The Vaccine War” and discussed topics such as herd immunity, autism, and other infectious diseases.

In the PBS show, there were mothers that were interviewed about why they did not, and choose not to vaccinate their children, but what these mothers said seemed, to me, to resemble regurgitated information they found on the internet.

As a new mother, I certainly want to do what’s in the best interest of my daughter, but then I also want to do what’s best for the public as a whole, so I think it’s increasingly important to vaccinate children in our global economy and socialization.  Don’t get me wrong, there was a point where I had done so much research about the topic that I almost did not let my daughter get vaccinated, but then I did ALL of the research and came to the conclusion that it was not only in the best interest of my daughter, but best for everyone as a collective.  Especially since our world is still riddled with many diseases that are not known in developed nations such as ours, but prevalent in third world countries.

Something important that came across to me from the show, to keep in mind, is that these vaccines are needed to help eradicate the infectious diseases they were meant to fight, and everyone needs to be vaccinated until the disease is completely gone in the ENTIRE world.  Once the diseases are completely gone, is when we can stop vaccinating.  The biggest example of that, is small pox.

Now I believe that everyone has a right to choose what they do and don’t do, but when it comes to the fact that a decision can have an effect on my family and that of my children, then there’s a problem.

Herd immunity is important because it protects those that are vulnerable, such as newborns, or those can’t take the vaccinations due to weak immune systems.  That herd immunity is what protected that little child that did not get their vaccination, up until that child gets directly infected.

What do you think about the great vaccine debate?  Which side do you stand on?  Do you think that there is a need to make vaccines completely legally compulsory across the board?  Should parents have the right to decide whether or not to vaccinate their children?  Do you think that the people that decide not to vaccinate their children should be responsible for the medical bills or reparations to the families or individuals they infect due to their choice not to vaccinate?

There are many issues that still need to be discussed and solutions need to be arrived at, since this is not just your health or my health; it’s everyone’s health.

What do you think?  Please check out my new forum and discuss this topic there.  Please let me know what you think about the new forum via the contact form, if you have any ideas or suggestions.

Thanks!

~Hale Mom

Tagged as: autism, community immunity, developed nation, frontline, herd immunity, infectious disease, measles, new mother, PBS, PBS frontline, right to choose, The Vaccine War, third world countries, vaccinate children, vaccinated, vaccine, vaccine debate, vaccine research, vaccines