Immunization Policy Essay

The argument encompassing whether or not parents should vaccinate their children is ongoing. It is a very interesting matter to learn about and I possess some strong feelings about the case. This issue interests me because there are parents who don’t have their children vaccinated, and there are parents who do have them vaccinated. But all these parents share one particular quality: they all would like for their kids to be safe.

Throughout history people have seen many public health innovations. Numerous advancements were made between 2001 and 2010. These advancements include “tobacco control, motor vehicle safety, public health preparedness and response, and occupational safety.” (Ten Great Public Health Achievements --- United States, 2001—2010) One of the most important innovations was vaccine preventable diseases. Many people believe that it is right for the government to necessitate children to be vaccinated. Others think it is wrong and that the parents should decide what is best for their children’s health. It is beneficial for the United States government to require young children in the United States to get vaccinations including hepatitis A and B,

I am passionate about this issues. I have worked as an immunization nurse for several years in the state of Maryland. In Maryland there are strict requirements for vaccinating children for school entry. I worked for Prince George’s County and Baltimore County Health Department. In the state of Maryland many children each year are out compliance and therefore are not allowed to attend school until the requirements are satisfied.

In the 1850s the first school vaccination requirement were enacted to prevent smallpox. Federal and state efforts to eradicate measles in the 1960s and 1970s motivated many to mandate policies. By the 1990s, all 50 states requirement for children to be enrolled in school must receive certain immunizations and if these requirements were not met than children were not allowed to be enrolled in school (Center for Disease Control Prevention, 2010). For example, in the state of California, private public school or daycare cannot admit children unless vaccinations were received for all ten of the diseases. If the California Department of Public Health implements a requirement for vaccination parent can be allowed to obtain personal belief exemptions that would allow parents to opt out of vaccination for their children if form is filled out by healthcare professional that states vaccinations were countered to personal beliefs. This law has not been implemented as of yet but should be in 2016. The healthcare of policy decision in laws can have an influence on individuals based on the decision that are made. Health care policy and issues can affect providers and patients in many different ways. Stakeholders’ in the policymakers for vaccination main concern is the safety and health of children so the implement exemptions of laws from concern about vaccine

If the bill had been passed, it would have provided residents sustained transparency, guaranteed parents the right to access vaccine reports that would keep them well informed, and assist them in making safe and appropriate decisions for their child (Texas H.B. 2249, 2017). On the other hand, as parents are opting out of their child receiving immunizations, conflicting values may arise. As vaccine exemption rates are rising, vaccine coverage levels are beginning to decline, putting the community in a predicament. When a high number of people within a population are immunized to a disease, it lessens the likelihood of the spread of disease also referred as herd immunity (Warren, 2017). Herd immunity threshold must be met in order to

By the time a child is two years old and preparing to enter day care, there are a routine number of about 26-27 vaccinations a child must receive to be accepted into enrollment. Many states offer different forms of exemption to parents who reserve the right to deny these vaccinations (Jacobson 643). According to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, infants and young children are currently vaccinated against 11 diseases: Diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B, Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Pertussis, Poliomyelitis, Rubella, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Tetanus, and Varicella (Hinman, Malone, 266). According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and prevention, diseases are becoming rarer due to vaccinations against them, such as smallpox and polio, with the goal to keep immunizing until the disease is completely eradicated. The CDC also states that until these diseases are completely eliminated we cannot discontinue immunizing. The fear is that by not continuing to vaccinate against the diseases, the previous work over the years will be un-done and the government would have to control outbreaks again from scratch. One prime example of cutting back on immunizations is the case of

reporting only one case of measles in 2000 - 2009 and no cases in 2011 - 2015.

Pennsylvania like many other states have a list of mandatory vaccinations; if students are going to be publicly active in school they need to get vaccinated. However, unlike West Virginia and Mississippi who only allow medical exemptions, Pennsylvania allows medical and religious exemptions. Therefore, Pennsylvania vaccinations laws require some mandates as well as allow some exemptions. First, Pennsylvania laws do not require parents to vaccinate their children; it is the parents decision. “Children need not be immunized if the parent, guardian or emancipated child objects in writing to the immunization on religious grounds or on the basis of a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief. Medical exemptions are also

Likewise, some people should not receive vaccinations. These individuals should not receive vaccinations due to their age, health conditions, among other factors. These other conditions are independent depending on the type of vaccination received. “They can range from an individual who cannot swallow, to a pregnant woman, to a person with a life-threatening allergy, to a component in the vaccination” (Hales 543). A small percentage of individuals do not respond to a particular vaccine. ”All states provide medical exemptions, and some state laws also offer exemptions for religious and philosophical reasons” (State Vaccination Requirements). “Some religions even prevent certain parents from vaccinating their children because of their belief that the disease is a naturally occurring thing and humans have no right interfering with it” (Hales 544). However, most state laws establish vaccination requirements for school children. These laws apply to public schools, private schools, and day care centers. “State laws also establish mechanisms for enforcement of school vaccination requirements” (State Vaccination Requirement). “Vaccines save

Whether vaccines should or should not be mandatory for infants/toddlers/adolescents is widely disputed nationwide, as well as worldwide. This is a topic that affects everyone and their overall health and well-being. "Immunizations are the safest, longest-lasting and most effective way to prevent communicable diseases," says Dr. Ian Gemmill, past chair of the Canadian Coalition of Immunization Awareness and Promotion. (Walkinshaw 2011) There are 12 vaccines required for children in North Carolina to get to be permitted to attend public, private, or religious school. Without these vaccines, given at different ages, the child will not be admitted into the school. Four other vaccines are recommended by the CDC, but are not required. All things considered, vaccinating children early in their lives is crucial to all healthcare workers. A child not vaccinated will grow up to be an adult not vaccinated, and an unvaccinated adult working with sick or injured patients can be a major risk. Equally, unvaccinated people coming in to seek help from medical professionals pose a risk to the professionals’ health.

Certainly, supporting the use of immunization at a young age for children is a practical strategy to maintain their health and wellness. Thanks to parents who choose to immunize their children on a voluntary basis, the public health is protected, and there is a reduction in the spread of infectious diseases across the Untied States. Jane Lemons reports, “Although the vast majority of Americans continue to vaccinate their children, studies have found that as many as 1 in 10 parents are delaying or forgoing some or all recommended vaccines for their children” (169).

Because these children cannot fight off diseases themselves they count on the rest of the population to receive their immunizations to lessen the risk of receiving them. Many states offer exemptions to vaccinations. Many are health related, but some states allow parents to opt out of vaccinating their children based off political beliefs. “The clustering of these exemptions raises concern among public health officials about their potential to generate disease outbreaks that can spread to children in other areas” (Largent,18). An example of this is in Washington State, which is known for its high levels of unvaccinated children. Where a large outbreak of measles took place in 2008 stemming from an unvaccinated child. These concerns about the

Should children’s health be at risk for the greater good of community health? The news today is full of tragic stories about complications of vaccine use and there have been injuries from the beginning of vaccine use due to incomplete data on the side effects. The injuries have also brought about changes in the way vaccines are manufactured. The Georgia State Government requires citizens to receive vaccines in order to attend day care, go to school, and work at certain jobs and each state has its own mandates as well. The only way to get around the vaccine is to claim religious or medical exception. For either of these exceptions, one has to have a notarized affidavit for religious exception or a

According to the CDC 95% of children in kindergarten have had vaccines for preventable diseases, including two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine (CDC). According to the National Center for Education Statistics there was about 3.7 million children entering kindergarten in fall 2015 (NCES). This means around 185,000 children who first start school are at risk. The CDC estimated that 732,000 American children were saved from death and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014 due to vaccination

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.