Vaccination

Vaccination is a very serious topic that should not be taken lightly, especially in the case of the MMR vaccine. In days before the MMR vaccine, 1 in 3 children died before his or her fifth birthday. Presently, 1 in 150 children die before his or her fifth birthday in developed countries. According to Wilson (2009), this decrease in child’s death is not only a result of better sanitation, but also a result of vaccines. The MMR vaccine is a combination vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, all of which used to be deadly diseases to small children.

Some benefits of vaccination are: to protect your child from MMR diseases, to decrease the chance and size of outbreaks, and to protect others through herd immunity. Although some people have questioned the safety of this vaccine after its alleged link to autism, many studies have been conducted and have yet to find a direct link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

In my opinion you can tell people to vaccinate their children until you run out of breath; however, sometimes when people are too set in their ways to conform, it is important to reiterate the importance of vaccinating to protect others through herd immunity. When a child has leukemia, he or she cannot be vaccinated because his or her body is too weak to handle even the smallest of immune challenges. In these circumstances, herd immunity may be the determining factor as to whether a child lives or dies. Through the concept of herd immunity, the majority of people get vaccinated so that there are fewer cases of the disease thus lessening the chance that the disease will spread and therefore protecting the minority who are physically incapable of being vaccinated.

In order to protect your child, decrease the chance and size of outbreaks, and provide immunities for those who cannot be vaccinated, you must make sure you and your family is vaccinated. If you would like to get vaccinated all you have to do is contact your local physician and make an appointment to go get your injection. So make that phone call and get yourself vaccinated!