Anti Vaxxers – Pro .. or NO?

By Larissa Werbiuk

In recent years, there has been a great debate worldwide, regarding the possible side effects vaccines cause, and if it is worth leaving society vaccine free. Vaccines were created to help ride countries and the world, of some of the world’s most destructive diseases. Vaccines have been claimed to cause a number of illnesses, most acknowledged are autism MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), creating the divide between two groups - pro vaxxers and anti vaxxers. Some diseases vaccines are available for are: hepatitis B & A, rotavirus, influenza and varicella.

Although there is great hype around pro or anti vaxxers, it isn’t actually compulsory to vaccinate. In the United States, many states allow for an individual or parent the right to choose whether to be vaccinated. Forty-eight states allow religious exemptions, for compulsory vaccination as of 2014, and twenty states allow exemptions on philosophical or personal objections to vaccination. Although people are given a choice to vaccinate or not, by those choosing not to, creates a negative ripple effect for those that do – keeping diseases alive. How are we, as a society, meant to combat destructive diseases such as polio, which has wiped out populations that could fit small countries. Those unvaccinated will be perfect hosts for diseases to thrive and remain alive. The whole point of vaccinations is to wipe out these diseases, so they have no were to go but die out.

Instances of proof that vaccines do more good than bad is easily shown, when comparing todays death rates of a disease, compared to 30,40,50 years ago. Such as before the introduction of the measles vaccination, were on average there was about half a million cases per year in the US and about 1 to 3 deaths per every 1,000 cases, young children being most vulnerable. Whilst after the vaccine was introduced there were only 89 cases diagnosed in 1998. Similar to the polio vaccine in 1955 there were almost 30,000 cases, to 910 cases by 1962.

There is a great deal of positives stemming from vaccines. Some reasons for people arguing against vaccines are Thiomersal. This is claimed to be bad due to it containing mercury, which is usually toxic. Although the levels used are so minute to cause any dangerous effect but has still be phased out of most vaccines. Autism and Multiple Schlorosis are popular fears from vaccines. Autism claims stem from a great jump of cases of people diagnosed with autism in recent years. Although there has been little scientific proof linked that vaccines created those extra cases.

Many people in respected medical positions have spoken up for people to get vaccinated. One such person is Danielle Stringer who is now a paediatric nurse practitioner in Chandler, Arizona. She has seen it first hand the consequences of not being vaccinated, during studying her masters at just 18

and who grew up involved in the anti-vaxxer community. Consequence’s of those not vaccinated include Danielle’s great uncle still in a wheelchair to this day from a childhood case polio, a child whose legs and arms were amputated after meningitis nearly cost him his life and witnessing a toddler almost die from dehydration due to retrovirus. After graduating Danielle now gives vaccines believing it is one of her most important accomplishments of her career.

Ultimately it is up to the individual and what they think is best for themselves and children, but vaccines are out there for a reason, and if so much bad was happening from them, why would a majority of society choose to vaccinate.