The Pros And Cons Of Influenza Vaccines

To get the flu vaccine or not to get the flu vaccine? This is a huge controversial question millions of Americans today ask themselves every year. There are many myths that come along with the topic of the flu vaccine that lead to people questioning the effectiveness of the medication. Safety for our families and loved ones is what we aim to achieve, but what are the pros and cons of this vaccine? What are the consequences and what are myths, but most importantly: what are the reasons we should get it in the first place? In this paper you will learn the many reasons for the flu vaccination and how it affects different populations beginning with children all the way to the elderly population. First of all, what is the flu

Illnesses have long haunted the human race. As long as these illnesses have existed, humans have developed ways to cure themselves, beginning with simple herbs and proceeding as far as vaccines and complex medicines. One cure that long eluded scientists was that of the influenza virus. Now, the influenza vaccine, or flu shot, saves thousands of lives a year and helps prevent serious complications resulting from influenza infection.

Medical vaccines are highly valuable to the human race. Medical vaccines are becoming more and more strong and effective. This is due to how fast technology is advancing as time goes by. One of the major outcomes of the advancing and innovative technology is that the United States can now develop better vaccines. For example, the influenza vaccine is a major positive outcome that has change people’s life. In Cathy Munford’s article, "Should Influenza Vaccination be Mandatory?” she states how there has been a ninety percent increase in the prevention of the influenza because of the new and revolutionary vaccine. Due

The article “Don’t Believe Flu Myths” relates to this week’s topic of public health laws and protecting people from themselves. In summary, the article discusses this year’s grim flu season and the need to have a larger proportion of the population vaccinated. Due to its positive stance for immunization and protecting individuals from each other, the article supports the lecture for this week. In particular, implementing vaccinations for children in public schools is an extremely large concern of public health. Flu vaccines for children are especially important this year, as the predominant flu subtype seems to notably affect children. According to the article, “since the beginning of the flu season in October, 53 children have died from the

Great ideas on finding a solution that can increase the rate of vaccination for the older population. Having a strong community that offers different programs to help different ethnicity is a good solution for them to have a good quality health care. With the community, there can be an outreach that can collaborate with the community partners and health care providers to educate, motive, and promote seasonal influenza vaccination (AHIP, 2011). With many minority populations (Hispanic, Asian, etc) believed that vaccination can cause more serious illness, there should be an agency that can address those misconceptions and educate them risk and safety of vaccination (AHIP, 2011). The local pharmacies and supermarkets are also a good way

The most dangerous diseases of our nation have been streaked out by widespread protection or immunity. This widespread protection has been the effect of an immense vaccination which is also called an immunization that introduces vaccines into the body. In this textbook, it mentions that a vaccine is “a preparation of killed, inactivated, or attenuated microorganisms or toxoids to induce artificially acquired active immunity.” (Tortora 487). Like anything else, there are many individuals who disagree with the common immunity or vaccination in general. These people base themselves off weak and false studies, which they then take and go further to spread their bias misled beliefs. These individuals do all of this without looking at the history,

The influenza vaccination in not only beneficial to recipients but also those that come in contact with the individuals exposed to or at risk for contracting influenza. Health care workers are at a constant risk of exposure to various diseases and illness including influenza. An emergency such as a vaccination shortage for influenza will not only affect at risk individuals but spread rapidly to all those exposed without knowledge or a-symptomatic at time of encounter. Health care workers will be exposed in physician offices, hospitals, emergency care or urgent care centers with heightened possibility of spreading the illness (CDC, 2015). Health care workers are not limited to the obvious: physicians or nurses but also, therapists, EMS,

With influenza vaccination rates remaining low in the HCP population, there has recently been an increased emphasis on improving vaccination rates among HCPs. Low influenza vaccination rates have caused many healthcare facilities to initiate and mandate employees to receive the influenza vaccine. Research has proven to reduce morbidity and mortality among patients in healthcare facilities as well as decrease illness and absenteeism among HCPs (Sickbert & Weber, 2013). For these reasons multiple professional organizations are recommending an annual influenza vaccine for all HCPs, if medically suitable for this vaccination. Requiring a physician waiver for non-suitable HCP, all non-suitable HCP are expected or required to wear a mask in direct patient care areas.

Secondly, vaccines minimize the risks for many possible illnesses. For example, when children go to school they are putting other children at risk every day by not having been vaccinated. Children spread many microbes and without vaccines there would be more viral and bacterial infections in schools than ever. Without being vaccinated children are greatly susceptible to infections and would have to keep days off from school until their immune system kicks the infection. Health-care costs would be through the roof and many individuals already lack health care. There are many clinics that offer low-cost or free immunizations to infants and school aged children (ProCon.org, 2013).

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this narrative review is to discuss what influenza is? And what the ethical and morality of flu vaccinations. This discussion is grounded whether or not flu vaccinations are necessary for individuals.

Vaccines have allowed humans to avoid contracting terrible diseases for over 200 years now, but are these same vaccines that are meant to help actually hurting us? Influenza kills more people in the United States than any other vaccine-preventable disease (Immunization Partnership), 1.5 million children die from vaccine-preventable diseases every year (Children’s Hospital) and 3,000 to 6,000 people develop Guillain Barre Syndrome each year on average (CDC). There are billions of people in this world who need to be protected from everyday viruses. Scientists have come up with a way to avoid contracting many diseases, but many of these vaccines lead to more problems that threaten our health. Scientists and doctors need to ensure that enough is being done to prevent vaccinations from causing unintended health issues.

Anti-vaccination movements are hurting children and the people surrounding them. On the contrast, there is a pro-vaccination movement to advocate for those who cannot protect themselves. However, this movement is diminishing due to skewed facts in the media. This only comes back to haunt the parents who do not vaccinate their child, and the people who cannot be protected against it. Using vaccinations can irradiate diseases that have evolved over the years, saving millions of lives, and giving peace to lives lost from the disease (Jacobs, Charlotte DeCroes).

According to Vaccines Pros and Cons, Vaccines can protect future generations. In order to decrease or prevent diseases, we must vaccinate our family and ourselves. Vaccinating is saving parents time and money that would be wasted if people were to contract a disease. When mothers are vaccinated, they are protecting their baby from birth defects.

Relating to the Audience: As college students, we cross paths with hundreds of people every day. With winter coming up, and illnesses running rampant, we are all highly susceptible to catching diseases such as the flu. With vaccinations, we can prevent getting these illnesses.

In contrast, a positive aspect of many people having vaccinations is herd immunity. Herd immunity is the occurrence where a large proportion of a specific population is vaccinated to provide them immunity, and as a result, it also gives some protection to the people of the population who have and yet developed immunity. This happens as the a large group of vaccinated individuals are protected from a virus and creates difficulty for the it to spread because there is only a small percentage of the population left that could be infected by the disease. It is a very crucial aspect of immunity for the community as the people who cannot receive vaccinations (i.e. people with weak immune systems, very young children and patients who are too ill)