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The Importance Of Vaccination

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Multiple studies have shown an increase in the local risk of vaccine-preventable diseases when there is a geographic region of people refusing vaccination. For example, in Michigan, there was a significant correlation documented between geographic regions of nonmedical exemptions and pertussis outbreaks. In Colorado, the county-level incidence of pertussis and measles in vaccinated children from 1987 through 1998 was associated with the frequency of exemptions of vaccinations in that county. School-based outbreaks in Colorado have been associated with increased exemption rates; the mean exemption rate among schools with outbreaks was 4.3%, as compared with 1.5% for the schools that did not have an outbreak. High vaccine coverage, particularly at the community level, is important for children who cannot be vaccinated, including children who are too young to be vaccinated and those who have medical contraindications to vaccination. These groups are more at risk for infectious diseases than the general population of children and depend on the protection provided by the vaccination of children in their environment.
Studies have reported the importance of parents' concerns about vaccine safety when they decide against vaccination. Underimmunization was associated with negative perceptions of vaccine safety. Although there are stipulations about the safety of vaccinations, they are considered safe for children. Many government and national organizations such as the Center for

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