Vaccination for Children Should Be Mandatory
Children vaccination is a controversial topic because some people believe that parents should be allowed to exercise autonomy over the health of their young ones. While it is true that caregivers ultimately make decisions on their children’s health, it is essential to consider the repercussions of failing to vaccinate them. Some diseases such as measles have a high community immunity threshold. This means that for the population to be safe against it, a significant percentage of it must be vaccinated (Hendrix et al., 2016). If parents decide not to vaccinate their children, it will prevent the development of herd immunity. Some guardians also opt not to vaccinate their children because they believe that natural immunity is preferable over one acquired through a jab. They oppose the latter since it involves introducing new chemicals into the body and favor the former because they rationalize that eating healthy can prevent certain diseases. Although maintaining a proper diet can help prevent certain diseases, some illnesses can be contracted regardless of nutrition. Therefore, vaccinating children saves their lives as well as the time and money that would be spent treating them.
Perhaps the biggest concern that parents have about vaccines is their safety. Some people believe that vaccines cause conditions such as autism. There are numerous conspiracy theories and myths regarding vaccines that exacerbate vaccine hesitancy. However, researchers have debunked these narratives and proven that vaccines are safe. They are dispensed after thorough reviews by scientists and health researchers. Most of the concerns that guardians have about vaccines can be eliminated by providing them with adequate information about their administration (McKee & Bohannon, 2016). Some parents do not have access to factual information regarding immunization. It is important to educate them, which will help reduce resistance to their dispensation. Meanwhile, children vaccination should be a mandatory process rather than one that is left to the parents to decide.
References
Hendrix, K. S., Sturm, L. A., Zimet, G. D., & Meslin, E. M. (2016). Ethics and childhood vaccination policy in the United States. American journal of public health, 106(2), 273-278. Web.
McKee, C., & Bohannon, K. (2016). Exploring the reasons behind parental refusal of vaccines. The journal of pediatric pharmacology and therapeutics, 21(2), 104-109. Web.