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Should Childhood Vaccinations Be Compulsory?

Decent Essays

Introduction
Should childhood vaccinations become compulsory has repeatedly been in the news lately with new research testing done. This research was undergone to see if vaccines caused autism, SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), multiple sclerosis (MS) and many more. The most recent study published in the Advertiser on May 20, 2014. This story appeared all over the news across Australia and is making headlines globally. It discusses that childhood vaccinations should become compulsory and they are not linked to autism. Making this issue an Australian and Global topic.
Biological Relevance
Vaccinations are a needle injected into usually the arm but on infants may also be injected in the leg. Without causing infection, vaccines trick the immune system into responding as if the body is under attack from a specific bacterium or virus by introducing dead or weakened versions of the germ and inactivated toxins from that germ. The body’s response is to build up anti bodies against the disease in a process called natural immunisation. These antibodies are produced by B cells, they lock onto the antigen of the invading bacteria. These B cells are also known as memory cells these cells are able to live for a long time and can respond quickly following a second exposure to the virus. This is called being ‘immune’ to a disease. The immune system consists of numerous tissues and organs. These include the lymphatic system, lymph nodes and lymph fluid. Lymph fluid is where white blood

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