Vaccination Is The Most Common Means Of Preventing Childhood Infectious Diseases?

Vaccinations play a very large part in the prevention of diseases spreading. When enough people, 95% according to the CDC, have been vaccinated, the other 5% not vaccinated are protected through herd immunity (Kluger). This term is often used in discussion with

Many infectious diseases that once quickly spread and easily killed have been controlled or eradicated due to vaccinations. The efficacy of vaccines in reducing morbidity and mortality, particularly in children, is undeniable. Per the World Health Organization, childhood vaccinations prevent approximately 2-3 million deaths per year worldwide (WHO, 2016). In the United States, the value of immunizations is clearly displayed by comparing pre-vaccine era morbidity/mortality rates to post-vaccine era in regards to vaccine-preventable diseases. For example, prior to the diphtheria vaccine in the 1920’s, 206,000 people annually contracted the disease resulting in 15,520 deaths (History of Vaccines, 2009). However, between 2004 and 2014, only

Approximately 100 years ago children received 1 vaccine, smallpox. About 40 years ago children received 5

Vaccines change over time as science makes advancements and diseases processes evolve and emerge. Around 400 BC, Hippocrates recognized the now preventable diseases, such as diphtheria and mumps (Immunization Act Coalition, 2015). The first effort to immunize dates back to the 1100’s when children were inoculated with scabs from individuals who recently had small pox, with a technique coined as variolation. Then in 1796, Edward Jenner successfully created the first small pox vaccine (Immunization Act Coalition, 2015).

Those who cannot be vaccinated or for whom vaccines are not effective rely on the concept of “herd immunity” to protect themselves; it is a social responsibility to get vaccinated in order to protect the rest of the population. There are many people in Canada who are completely unable to be vaccinated– people without a fully-functioning immune system, people undergoing chemotherapy treatment, people with HIV, newborn babies, and the elderly. However, when a certain portion of a community is immunized against a contagious disease, the other members of the community are protected against that disease because of “herd immunity”– if 95% of the population is vaccinated, the disease cannot spread

The original definition of herd immunity pertained to the protective effect that ensued when a population contracted and recuperated naturally from infections. Natural immunity lasts a lifetime whereas vaccine generated immunity does not. There is no question that a disease outbreak can happen in a non-immune population, if a virus is introduced there, but the notion of herd immunity as it is erroneously applied to vaccines is being used to maneuver using disinformation and fear to compel the public into consenting to receive vaccinations contrary to their uninformed will.

There is a lot of debate about whether if vaccines should be or should not be mandatory for all children or if their use should be up to the parents of the child. Part of the issue for many parents it the sheer volume of vaccines mandated by various government agencies. Based on the recommendations of these organizations, a child can receive “no less than 69 doses of 16 vaccines” (children-vaccines). With so many vaccines being given many parents question why so many children are sick or have various developmental or learning disabilities. In fact, one child out of 6 has a learning disability, one out of ten is asthmatic, and one out of 50 has some degree of autism. This means that almost 30% of children in the US have a significant disability

We are aware that such perceptions are based on the view of herd immunity. It is believed that a critical portion of the population must be vaccinated to prevent the spread of disease. Conversely, if there are those in the population who are not

Herd Immunity is the idea to determine whether vaccinating of a significant portion of a population (or

Herd immunity does offer some protection. Pertussis AKA whooping cough is a perfect example to explain how herd immunity helps, and why it's very much needed. Infants are unable to receive the whooping cough vaccine, their protection depends on that of others around them being vaccinated. Bailey points out that in 1976, cases of whooping cough cases had been as few as just over a thousand, but that number has since increased along side with the rising number of people not getting vaccinating which therefore indicates a possible connection. A common connection at that, the CDC releases statistics on these matters every year. Whooping cough isn't the only illness on the rise with corresponding lack of vaccinations. Bailey states that in the year prior to his writing his paper(2012) the cases of whooping cough were over 48 thousand and killed 18 infants(the CDC states it was actually more than 20). The author understands that yes, it's their right to not vaccinate, but you should still do it for the greater good of

When children who have been vaccinated do contract a disease, despite being vaccinated against it, they usually have milder symptoms with less serious complications than an un-vaccinated child that gets the same disease. It is true that some children who receive vaccinations may still become ill when exposed to other disease-ridden children. Research shows that 70-90% of the entire population must be vaccinated to attain “herd immunity”, “the resistance of a group to attack by a disease to which a large proportion of the members are immune.” (Farlex, 2012) When herd immunity is accomplished the spread of the disease can be averted throughout. If all parents were to take proper responsibilities and keep their children’s immunizations up-to-date, herd immunity would be achieved against all 16 of the major life threatening diseases.

The last few decades have brought concern over the safety of routine vaccinations, leaving parents with a difficult choice; vaccinate their children and hope they will not develop complications or depend on herd immunity to protect them from various diseases. Herd immunity works on the basis that the majority of the population has been properly vaccinated, thereby diminishing the amount of potential carriers of a disease and protecting the unvaccinated individuals from coming in direct contact with a carrier (Fefferman and Naumova). What happens to unvaccinated people when they are exposed to these preventable diseases?

First, in 1796, a doctor named Edward Jenner performed the very first vaccination. “Taking pus from a cowpox lesion on a milkmaid’s hand, Jenner inoculated an eight-year-old boy, James Phipps. Six weeks later Jenner variolated two sites on Phipps ' arm with smallpox, yet the boy was unaffected by this as well as subsequent exposures” (Minna & Markel, 2005)& (Cave, 2008). The first vaccination allowed people to recognize that it was beneficial for their health. It provided the base for the rest of the variations of vaccinations to come. Vaccinations began with the notion that it is rooted in the science of immunology. Throughout history, there have been many variations of this first vaccine for things such as small pox, mumps, malaria and guinea worm. (The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, n.d.)

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)

Ragan & Duffy (2012, p.23) have also shown high immunization rates have resulted in a substantial decline in vaccine preventable diseases, particularly vaccination has eliminated smallpox worldwide. In addition, in a study by Bawah, Phillips, Adjuik & smith et al (2010, p.95) found that vaccination has resulted in a large and statistically significant reduction child mortality. The risk of dying for children younger than five who are fully immunized is reduced by more than 70% compared with those who are not immunized or partially immunized. Moreover, research by Dawson (2011, p.1032) also suggests that vaccination is a vital intervention in reducing illness and death rates in children and he estimated approximately 2.5 million deaths could be prevented each year by vaccination. In addition to personal immunity Vaccination programs also bring herd immunity which ensures even greater protection for the community from communicable diseases. The level of vaccination required to provide herd immunity varies with virulence and transmissibility as well as vaccine efficacy. While vaccinating