Vaccinations played a substantial role in the eradication of smallpox. Before its eradication in 1980, smallpox was a terror that effected many people. Of those who contracted the disease, 30% died. Most of the people who survived had deep, pit-like scars for the rest of their lives (“Smallpox Disease Overview”). In 1751, London alone reported 3,538 deaths due to smallpox (“All Timelines Overview”). Edward Jenner, an English country doctor, developed a vaccine for smallpox in 1796. Jenner used the pus from cowpox sores to build up immunity to smallpox. Cowpox is a relatively harmless disease that was common among milkmaids of Jenner’s day. Following Jenner’s success, use of the vaccination quickly spread across the world. In the late 1960’s, the World Health Organization (WHO) began to push for eradication using mass vaccination of individuals in epidemic countries. Due to the plans used by WHO and other organizations smallpox was eradicated. The only samples that exist are kept in high security labs in Atlanta, Georgia and Novosibirsk, Siberia. Had eradication …show more content…
These diseases are very rare in the United States but outbreaks still occur around the globe in Africa, Asia and Europe. In the U.S., vaccinations can protect individuals and communities in the event that disease is transported to the United States. If immunization rates decrease, then one exposure could quickly escalate to epidemic proportions. If no one is immunized against a disease that still exists somewhere in the world, then America will be no better off than before the vaccine was developed. According to the Center for Disease Control, most of the polio and measles outbreaks that occur in the U.S. result from overseas exposure that is then transported into the country (“What Would Happen”). Vaccinations cannot be abandoned until eradication is completely
Throughout history, vaccinations have been used to help the prevention of infectious diseases; some of which can produce serious illnesses, crippling disabilities, and ultimately be the cause of death. There is evidence of ancient culture’s attempting to treat transmittable diseases with various forms of inoculations. Developments in the research of vaccinations increased during the mid-twentieth century because of the established of more advanced laboratories, improved equipment, and new innovations. The progression of medicine during history has helped further the development of research into vaccinations. Several cultural, ethical, and religious issues have resulted from the development and use of vaccinations in our society. The topic of vaccinations has caused a strong debate amongst our culture about the safety and danger of treating infectious diseases with such methods.
Twenty-three people from across the United States were reported to have measles in the month of January 2017. While a measles vaccine exists (MMR-measles mumps rubella), cases of the measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), are on the rise in the United States. A contributing factor to this rise, is the anti-vaccine movement. Although anti-vaxxers have questioned the safety, effectiveness and necessity of vaccinations since the 19th Century, it was not until Andrew Wakefield’s study, “Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children,” (1998) that the anti-vaccine movement gained momentum.
The introduction of vaccinations has been a controversial issue in both developed and developing nations around the world. Despite the benefits of immunizations, some parents refuse to vaccinate their children, which has caused healthcare providers to implement vaccination mandates and intense educational sessions. Is there a middle ground between ensuring the safety of children and preserving parental choice? How can we implement effective methods of communication between vaccine-hesitant parents and healthcare providers without imposing on freedom of choice? Ensuring transparency between vaccine-hesitant parents and health officials aided by resources dependent on a country’s socioeconomic factors can help promote the success of
Although very similar to a common cold, the flu is by far worse. In the United States, over 36,000 people die from complications of the flu, and over 200,000 people are hospitalized. To reduce their chances of overcoming or avoiding the viral infection altogether, people should visit their local urgent care clinic in Lafayette Hill to get vaccinated for the flu early.
Vaccines are safe and a crucial component of childhood and community health. They do not just protect the children of America, they protect those who cannot receive vaccines, because of severe allergies, and weakened immune systems from other diseases. So, to keep them safe we need to make sure that everyone else is fully immunized. There are a lot of specific groups in America, who cannot receive vaccines, including newborn babies, who are too young to receive vaccines. According to CDC, 10-20 babies die each year, because of contracting a vaccine preventable disease (7). This is from the babies encountering children and adults who have decided to not only risk their own health, but the health of someone else’s child. “As long as the majority of children receive their vaccines, we will be able to maintain our current level of disease control. However, should the level of community protection drop to the point where the viruses and bacteria travel unimpeded from person-to-person, from school-to-school, and from community-to-community, we instantly return to a past era when epidemics were an accepted part of
Vaccines are a very useful and important piece of technology in modern medicine. Without the aid of vaccines, countless numbers of people would become infected with diseases that can potentially be fatal, epidemics would occur on a massive scale, and death tolls would be much higher. Granted, vaccinations aren’t perfect and there have been cases in the past in which vaccinations have had serious side effects and in some instances, even death. Major medical organizations however, such as the FDA, AMA, and WHO, have stated that vaccinations are safe and that adverse effects are rare. Even so, there are some who believe vaccinations are not to be trusted and choose to not have themselves or their children injected with them despite risks. There is much controversy over vaccinations and their side effects, and one of the major topics discussed is whether or not schools should allow children who have not been vaccinated. All of the heated debate over vaccination has led to one essential question being asked, “Should the government enforce mandatory vaccinations,” not
I wanted to write to you because I believe that is very important for people to get vaccinated. It’s very important for people to protect themselves. Also, protect people around them, and their surroundings.
Most parents trust the government with the health of their children without doing their due diligence regarding childhood vaccinations. For the sake of their children, they need to take advantage of the informative and reliable sources that are available on the Internet and in public libraries regarding this topic. They will find that kids are being vaccine injured and even killed because of the toxins that are being pumped into their tiny bodies. Parents have been ill-informed, even misled, when it comes to the safety and effectiveness of childhood vaccinations.
Good evening Ladies and Gentleman. I’m Erin as you should already know, and I have been vaccinated all my life. One of the current controversial issues in the media is whether or not vaccinations are essential. I’m here to discuss why I believe vaccinations should be necessary for people that are eligible.
As more debate arises against the usefulness of vaccines, parents are left to wonder whether they should be allowing their kids to be injected with a potential harmful substance. The answer from an immense majority of medical experts is a resonating “yes”. Childhood vaccines contain personal benefits, community benefits, and benefits for the future of public health. It is imperative that vaccinations remain mandatory in the United States.
Just like any other problem, it had to originate somewhere. The issue of infant vaccinations dates all the way back to 1796. It all started with Edward Jenner’s experiment. For instance, “In 1796,(Edward) Jenner conducted an experiment, scratching the arm of an 8-year-old boy named James Phipps using material from a cowpox sore in one of these dairymaids. Then he repeated the same experiment, but this time added a small amount of smallpox into the same child. He hoped that the procedure would immunize the child against the deadly smallpox infection. In fact, it did. Jenner’s experiment began the immunization age” ("History of Immunizations”). So, if it wasn't for Edward Jenner's experiments in 1796, there could be a possibility that vaccinations
Fatigue, fever, headaches and nausea, all common symptoms of an everyday cold, the start of the flu or even polio. However, with polio the symptoms continue to worsen until the person develops muscle weakness, loss of reflexes, and flaccid paralysis. Eventually the person loses the ability to walk and carry out daily functions without the use of assistant devices. Work becomes difficult, due to the rapid fatigue and flaccid paralysis, and multiple domains of their life are significantly affected. Through the mid-20th century parents feared their child could become infected with this virus, causing their life to change forever. Luckily, in 1979 polio was declared officially eradicated in the United States. So why is it, thirty-seven years after its declared eradication date, there is still a fear of this disease? The answer is fairly simple.
Over the past decade the debate concerning the safety and necessity of childhood vaccines, as well as the correlation between vaccination and autism, has been overwhelming the media and the minds of conscientious parents. While freedom of choice is valued above all else in this country, when it comes to vaccination, blindly following the anti-vaxxer rhetoric puts at serious risk the health of many, especially the most vulnerable citizens. Immunization is a safe method to prevent many common infectious diseases and has been proven to be extremely effective in morbidity and mortality prevention; and a full course of medically recommended vaccination should be mandatory for all school-age children who do not have
Not all students returning to school this month will be up to date on their vaccinations and a new paper in Gender&Society by Jennifer Reich,a professor of Sociology from the University of Colorado Denver, correlates it to the class privilege of their mothers.
Immunizations have been created to keep children and adults safe and healthy. They are recommended to begin early in life when they are the most vulnerable and to keep them from being exposed to something life-threatening. You can find a schedule of immunizations relating to the age of the children by viewing the CDC website or asking your physicians office.