Vaccines: Beneficial or Not?

Throughout history, vaccines have been implemented in the United States to help prevent diseases on an epidemic level. From the 1940’s to the 1990’s, parents have vaccinated their children for the purpose of protecting them from debilitating or even deadly childhood diseases. Presently, however, some parents are opting not to vaccinate their children because they believe that vaccines do not help or could possibly harm their children. Although there are arguments against vaccinations, studies have proven that vaccines are highly beneficial with little to no negative consequences.

The controversy concerning vaccinations for children has recently been a debate for many parents. A vaccine is defined as a biological agent used to prevent very serious illnesses and diseases, such as smallpox, measles, influenza, tuberculosis, and hepatitis by injecting a weakened infectious organism into the human body. When vaccines are administered, the human body produces antibodies against the foreign substance, thus creating a defense mechanism that builds immunity. Parenting decisions based on vaccinations are a sensitive matter in a child’s life. Many parents favor vaccines because they care about their children’s health, particularly during the first years of their lives. There are parents who fully trust and admire doctors for their efforts toward preventative healthcare. Some parents, however, delay vaccinations because they are genuinely concerned about severe allergic reactions or long-term side effects. Other parents completely refuse vaccinations because they are unable to afford it or hold personal, moral, or religious beliefs that go against vaccinations. No matter what the case is, disease prevention is important to public health and one of the best ways to prevent diseases is through vaccinations.The main benefit to vaccines is that they help to prevent childhood diseases. Without vaccines, many children are susceptible to easily preventable illnesses such as measles or chicken pox. These illnesses can cause death, future disabilities, or permanent developmental delays; however, with vaccines, these simple diseases are preventable. The common misconception with vaccines is that they are dangerous and can lead to diseases. However, vaccinations are made with weakened or dead viruses so it is almost impossible to be infected with a disease. Although there are a few cases where someone has been infected, the chances of contracting a disease through a vaccination are very slim. Even if there are several cases, the vast prevention of disease outweighs the effects on the few who are infected.Vaccines are extremely effective and have even been able to eradicate diseases such as polio in the United States. Although vaccination has led to a dramatic decline in the number of U.S. cases of several infectious diseases, some of these diseases are quite common in other countries and may be brought to the U.S. by international travelers. If children are not vaccinated, they could easily get one of these diseases from a traveler or while traveling themselves. Another point in favor of vaccinations is that if children aren’t vaccinated, they can spread disease to other children who are too young to be vaccinated or to people with weakened immune systems, such as transplant recipients and people with cancer. This could result in long-term complications and even death for these vulnerable people.Vaccines have major benefits not only to individuals, but to the population as a whole. Vaccines help immunize children against possibly life-threatening diseases and can also help prevent epidemics. Although there are a few negative effects of vaccines such as contracting actual diseases, the benefits far outweigh the cons.

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