Blog 3: VACCINE WARS

The video represented two main different points of views of vaccines: parent’s choice vs. community needs. During the fifty-five minute video, it has shown why vaccines were achieved and the importance that the Central Disease of Control has for the communities around the world and how Public Health is involved. However, some parents hesitate on putting vaccines to their children and how they prefer their children to have measles than have autism. It has brought so much tensions between the government, state laws, and the issue of making decisions that it has become a political involvement as well as scientific. It was clearly shown that there has been no scientific proof based on the twenty two-epidemiologist tests that MMR and thimerosal are the NOT the causes for autism. However, those parents truly believe that they have evidence because they are children were at risk. Another point view that was touched during the video was how social media such as the internet, YouTube, the news, etc. has affected those people’s decisions on taking the vaccine or not or putting vaccines to their newborn. The main message and detail that this video is giving the audience is that THIS IS A PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY and IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE and A GOVERNMENTAL ISSUE because of the issue of quarantine and the protection of the community. Vaccines have proven to increase the life spam of a human being for thirty years and prevent sixteen diseases for children.

I am a firm believer that vaccination should be done! It has proven my belief even more. While I was getting my vaccines at the lab, I saw this news that this young kid had gone to do a community service down at the Dominican Republic and Haiti. He didn’t have the meningitis vaccine. Once he got back home, he had to be transferred to the States and get his legs and arms amputated because he had meningitis. This is clearly evidence and proof that if he had his vaccines on time, this could all be avoided.

During the video, they explained what her immunity how the critical numbers that are not vaccinated put at risk to those that are and can’t afford it. Dr. James says that it is the responsibility to Public Health because there job is to look for the good of the world. They don’t believe that putting at risk to those are wanted to be protected and those who can’t afford vaccines. They also firmly believe that these is a matter of those parents that don’t believe in vaccines as a private affair for their own beliefs that a public responsibility for them. However Public Health thinks differently. Also Public Health has the right to make epidemiologist test, and they conducted twenty-two test to prove that both hypotheses that those parents believe that vaccines cause autism or the content of it were wrong.

Vaccination is different from other personal health decisions. Vaccination is the immunization of the community that we are surrounded and the law comes into play as well as physicians for the children’s own protection. It also prevents for polio, measles, meningitis and other rare or sexual transmitted diseases to be avoided.  Vaccines have been also been to play in social media such as youtube, fox news and the Internet. Also those close-minded individuals that believe in not vaccinating their children are putting at risk to those that surround them. A clear example was shown at the end of the video. This clearly affirms that the state and local governments should put into play because others get affected directly or indirectly. The Public Health officials, physicians and the state should decide the required vaccines.

Several reasons that parents won’t let their children get immunized is because first:

1)  Autism

2)    Mercury, thimerosal, and other ingredients

3)    They feel forced by their pediatricians and have no say in it.

4)    YouTube videos, media (fox news), internet and other social medias

5)    They don’t believe that they are not putting anyone at risk because those diseases don’t exist anymore

6)    It is a private affair not a public responsibility for them

7)    They don’t relay on doctors at all. They follow the media.

8)    They prefer a natural disease than autism

9)    There’s no reason for vaccines and they believe that natural diseases exist for a reason

While I was reading and searching information in our required book I read that the health of schoolchildren has been a public health concern since the late nineteenth century. Cities began to employ medical inspectors to check on those that were ill. I firmly believe that reinforcing this method for protecting those children that are vaccinated should make an attempt. Also the issue of health insurance is also big since it is expensive. In a perfect system, this could work by giving National Health Insurance to those in need. On the other hand for those that have health insurance and don’t want their kids to get vaccinated this should be required as a Public Health Law and State Law. It should be implemented and practiced. The world is at stake for these serious diseases and it is equally compelling to do the best for those children that are protected and for those that need protection.