Vaccinations Ever since the invention of the first vaccine more than two centuries ago, there has been plenty of controversy over the morality, ethics, effectiveness, and safety of vaccination and immunization. Parents, health care specialists, nurses, teachers and children all have an important stake in this issue. Parents argue that it is they who should have the ultimate decision-making right on whether or not to vaccinate their children. Nurses and health care officials oppose that view on the grounds that by making vaccination rates in children incomplete, we expose all children to contracting the vaccine-preventable diseases. If this is a risk some parents are willing to take, but others face unwillingly, there is obviously a …show more content…
The first thing it does is recognize that the disease germs do not belong in their body, they are “foreign invaders.” It then responds by producing proteins called antibodies, which help destroy these germs. Unfortunately, these antibodies can’t act quickly enough to stop you from getting sick. But by eliminating the germs, they help the child get well (“How Vaccines Work”). The immune system remembers the germs that made the child sick, and if they ever try to infect them again, even after many years, their immune system will come to their defense again. But now they are able to stop the invading germs before they can make them sick. This is immunity. It is what keeps you from getting sick from diseases like measles or chickenpox a second time, no matter how often you are exposed to them (“How Vaccines Work”). In other words, the first time you are exposed to a disease, your immune system won’t stop you from getting sick, but it will help you recover and make you immune to that disease if you are ever exposed to it again. Most vaccinations will provide lifelong protection against the disease (“How Vaccines Work”). Today, there are roughly one hundred vaccines licensed for immunization and distribution in the U.S. Out of the one hundred, they are classified as either passive or active immunizations. In passive immunization, antibodies against a specific infectious organism are given directly to a person. These antibodies are obtained from several sources. The
Through the understanding of infectious diseases, researchers have been able to create several types of vaccines to help prevent a variety of life-threatening illnesses. Scientists develop immunizations using different techniques to treat diseases. These types include: live, killed, toxoids, subunit, and conjugate vaccines. Vaccinations that are the live type use a specific process which when administered will expose the patient to the actual disease, but in a much
Parents face many different decisions when raising a child; some decisions are trivial, and others can be controversial. Whether or not to vaccinate a child is one of the most controversial choices. So controversial, in fact, that there is a political conversation of making immunizations a requirement. Many people support the movement of making vaccinations mandatory. Proponents argue that vaccines save lives, vaccine-preventable diseases have not been eradicated, and vaccines protect herd immunity. Many people also disagree with the possibility of required vaccinations. Opponents argue that vaccines cause harm, immunity by vaccinations is inferior to natural immunity, and government policies should not dictate personal medical choices.
Immunity is our body’s way of preventing diseases. Newborn babies are immune to many diseases because they have antibodies that they received from their mothers in the womb. Throughout their first year of life, however, this immunity begins to go away. Vaccines contain the same antigens or parts of antigens that cause disease. The antigens in vaccines are either killed or weakened to the point that they do not cause disease yet are strong enough that the immune system produces the antibodies that lead to immunity. Through vaccination, a child is developing immunity without suffering from the actual disease that the vaccine prevents (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). It is strongly supported by large organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Centers for
The vaccinated person 's immune system then learns to recognize the bacteria as a threat and develops defenses against that specific bacteria so when an individual is exposed to the live version of the bacteria, his or her body is prepared to defend itself. (“New Vaccines may be cheaper, work better.”)
Vaccines protect us against infectious diseases. Diseases are an interruption, cessation, or disorder of body functions, systems, or organs (Merrill, Timmreck, 2006). Vaccines aid the immune system when warding off infectious diseases. Passive immunity involves the transfer of antibodies to one person produced by another person (Merrill, Timmreck, 2006). Passive immunity is not considered a vaccine but can help in fighting short-lived infections. Passive immunity may be acquired through trans placental transfer or breast feeding (Merrill, Timmreck, 2006). Passive immunity helps infants born to mothers that have survived disease. Vaccines are used through active immunity to help the human body vade off invading
Vaccines reduce children from contracting various childhood diseases. One article explains, "When germs enter the body, the immune system recognizes them as foreign substances called antigens" (N.A.). They invade the body and multiply. Vaccines operate with the
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) describes vaccination as being one of the ten greatest achievements in public health of the 20th century (CDC 1999) Despite this regard, speculation regarding the matter of vaccines has been around for nearly the entirety of their existence (Wolfe 2002). In his book, Deadly Choices: How the Anti-Vaccine Movement Threatens Us All, Author Paul Offit does well in informing readers of the ongoing debate regarding the safety and implementation of vaccinations. Offit begins his book by equating this debate to an ongoing war between hesitant parents and weary doctors. Both sides are motivated by fear. For parents it is the fear of possible side effects that may arise in their children. For doctors it is the
Vaccines work together with the immune system to trick the body into building an immunity against the disease without causing the actual
Vaccinations have proven time and time again to be an effective form of preventive medicine, but in recent research it has been associated with serious developmental problems. The controversy over whether childhood vaccines are actually the cause of these development issues has been an ongoing debate for 2 centuries and is even more prominent in society now as more research is becoming available to the public, even if some of it says there is no link between the two. Parents and guardians now also believe that their children’s immune systems will be able to fight off diseases naturally. With all the controversy of vaccinations, there are also ethical controversies dealing with childhood vaccinations. Vaccine ethical issues such as public
When thinking about vaccines you may wonder how do they in fact work? “Vaccines help develop immunity by imitating an infection. This type of infection, however, does not cause illness, but it does cause the immune system to produce T-lymphocytes and antibodies. Sometimes, after getting a vaccine, the imitation infection can cause minor symptoms, such as fever. Such minor symptoms are normal and should be expected as the body builds immunity.” (CDC.gov). A vaccine is a weaken virus that allows the immune system to be able to combat it, once the immune system beats the virus it is then left with, “supply of cells that help recognize and fight that disease in the future.” (CDC.gov).
A vaccine is a weak or inactive form of a pathogen (something that causes disease). When the vaccine is injected into a person, it stimulates the production of antibodies to destroy the vaccine. Certain cells remember how to produce the
This paper examines the controversy surrounding the public health issue of vaccinations in children. Following a careful review of the literature surrounding this issue, the possible reasons for and implications of having a large percentage of the population who remains unvaccinated are discussed. Possible interventions and purposed interventions for resolution of this problem are discussed and conclusions are drawn based on what it learned from the literature.
When people hear the word vaccine, the word shot comes to mind. A vaccine is much more than just a shot, a vaccine helps defend your body from getting sick. When a vaccine is given, the vaccine contains an active or inactive virus that matches the type of disease that is trying to be prevented. Vaccines contain a small dose of the virus in order to simulate the production of antibodies and white blood cells in your body. The antibodies and white blood cells will then begin to fight off the virus, so in the future, if the disease does enter your body, the antibodies and white blood cells will recognize the disease and will know how to fight it off (“How Vaccines Work” 2004).
Underlying Human Biology: A vaccine is used to help members of the public have a immunity to a specific pathogen it does this by triggering the person's immune system to produce its own antibodies because the immune system reacts as if it actually has the pathogen when it doesn't, This is know as active immunity. This is used so if the person that received the vaccination and they come into contact with what they were vaccinated against then their immune system will react knowing how to overcome it much faster with fewer symptoms showing up. The Vaccine contains either An inactivated
Immunization is the action of making a person immune to infection or disease. This is also known as vaccines and being vaccinated. Immunizations work by stimulating the disease fighting part of the body. The healthy immune system is able to recognize viruses and produce substances to destroy them. These prepare the immune system to fight off diseases. To fight against viral infection, the virus used in the vaccines has been killed off. To immunize against a disease, it is possible to use only a small portion of the dead bacteria to the formation of antibodies against the bacteria in all. In addition to the initial process, it has been found that effectiveness of immunizations can be improved by periodic repeat injections. When you get