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Amanda Bourque
Professor Harcourt
WRT 1010, section 22
26 November 2013
Why Are Children not Being Vaccinated?
Immunization is described as “the process that makes an individual immune to infection”
(Rhonda). Childhood immunization “prevents disease in individual children, reduces the burden
of disease in the population, and can create herd immunity, preventing the further spread of
devastating disease” (Levitsky). Vaccines have nearly eradicated many of some of the most
harmful diseases from the past. Despite these benefits, there has been an increase in many
children not being vaccinated. These children’s parents believe in not vaccinating their children
because of religion, harmful side effects, the possible link to autism, and the belief that once a
person gets a vaccine, they will get that disease anyway.
Vaccines are the most common form of childhood immunization, with the only other real
option being the child developing immunity on their own. “In the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention's list of the 10 great public health achievements in the 20th century in the United
States, vaccination was ranked number one” (Rhonda). According to Tish Davidson in
“Children’s Health”, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Association
of Pediatrics believe that all children should get twelve different vaccines. Some of these
vaccines are for such diseases as measles, mumps, rubella, influenza, polio, and meningitis
(Davidson). Many of the diseases that vaccines protect against like meningitis have dire
consequences. “Meningitis is a potentially fatal inflammation of the meninges, the membranes
that encase the brain and spinal cord” (Colby and Davidson). With the introduction of
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vaccination to this disease, the rates of meningitis have gone down radically (Colby and
Davidson). Vaccination has had this effect on many other diseases as well. These measures have
helped to eradicate many diseases in the United States like polio and diphtheria. Both of these
diseases have had relatively small cases over the year compared to the epidemics before the
vaccinations for each were created. They have not just helped the United States with its disease
problems. “In 1974, Japan had a successful pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination program,
with nearly 80% of Japanese children vaccinated. That year only 393 cases of pertussis were
reported in the entire country, and there were no deaths from pertussis” (“Why Immunize?”).
When Japan grew confident in their lack of the disease, they lessened the requirement for the
vaccine. Due to this lessening, there was an outbreak of whooping cough (“Why Immunize?”).
Vaccines are essential, and they should be started at an early age. “Newborn babies are
immune to many diseases because they have antibodies they got from their mothers. However,
this immunity goes away during the first year of life” (“How Vaccines”). This leaves the child
defenseless against many diseases, and they may not be able to fight it off with fatal costs.
“Before vaccines, many children died from diseases that vaccines now prevent, such as
whooping cough, measles, and polio. Those same germs exist today, but because babies are now
protected by vaccines, we do not see these diseases nearly as often” (“How Vaccines”).
Vaccines have provided many benefits to society and have helped lessen the spread of many
harmful diseases. However, parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children for countless
reasons, one being religious exemption.
Religious exemption is when a parent can cite his or her religion’s beliefs is in opposition
with the vaccination mandates of that state. “Public health officials expect the numbers of
religious exemptions to grow” (Galewitz). Because many parents are growing wary of vaccines
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for a variety of reasons, they are turning to religious exemptions to get their children out of
vaccinations. “Parents can request a religious exemption merely by signing a form and having it
stamped by a county health official. The religious exemption once required the signature of a
spiritual adviser, but state [Florida] courts shot down that mandate” (Galewitz). It is a fairly
simple process. Florida is not the only state to allow for religious exemption. As of 2011, “all
states (expect Mississippi and West Virginia) allow parents to waive vaccines for religious
reasons. A few states require strict proof that your religion opposes vaccines, but most don’t; you
simply need to state that your reasons for not vaccinating have a religious basis” (Sears 254). A
religious group that believes in not vaccinating is the Christian Scientists. However, most of the
reasons people provide to get out of vaccinations are not due to religion at all but fears of a link
to autism and other harmful side effects.
A main concern of most parents when it comes to vaccinations is the potential harmful
side effects. These effects could happen after the injection or much later on. Parents worry about
the latter, since these possible long term effects are unknown. As of now, almost all of the effects
of the vaccine are temporary and do not put a person’s life in jeopardy. However, since many
vaccines have not been around for a long time, any supposed long term effects have not been
seen yet. Vaccines do have potential side effects as shown by the warning labels on the shot or
told by the doctor. However, “most vaccine adverse events are minor and temporary, such as a
sore arm or mild fever” (“Some Common”). These are the usual responses to vaccines. “Very
serious health events are extremely rare and are carefully monitored and investigated. You are
far more likely to be seriously injured by a vaccine-preventable disease than by a vaccine”
(“What are”). The diseases that vaccines prevent against have much more harmful side effects
than the ones vaccines have. The effects of meningococcal meningitis are worse than the effects
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of the vaccine that protects against it. The disease itself “is a potentially fatal disease. Even with
antibiotic treatment, in developed countries, mortality is about 10%, with many survivors left
with permanent neurological damage” (Linwood, Davidson, and Checchia). The side effects of
this vaccine are only usually mild “such as tenderness, redness, or a painful lump on the skin at
the injection site” (Linwood, Davidson, and Checchia). Some people may form a “low fever”
(Linwood, Davidson, and Checchia) or possibly an allergic reaction. According to the World
Health Organization, “the benefits of vaccination greatly outweigh the risk, and many, many
more injuries and deaths would occur without vaccines” (“What are”).
In the past twenty years, there has been an increase in studies and thoughts linking
vaccinations and autism. “The debate about childhood vaccinations began in 1998 when a British
journal published a study suggesting a link to autism” (Holt). However, this study was later
found to be wrong. Despite this supposed connection being severed, parents still continue to
believe it. Celebrities like Jenny McCarthy are still huge advocates about this supposed link. Her
own son has autism, which she believes was caused by vaccines. Since some vaccines used to
have a small dose of thimerosal, critics of vaccination cite this as a possible reason for the
autism. However, “autism cases continued to increase in California after the mercury-containing
preservative thimerosal was eliminated from most childhood vaccines, according to a report in
the January issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. This
suggests that exposure to thimerosal is not a primary cause of autism” (“JAMA and Archives”).
Just like this article, many other studies and articles are coming out that is now unlinking autism
and vaccines. In 2008, “the largest study to date says the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella
does not cause the developmental disorder of autism” (“Immunization does”). This was a huge
step in dispelling the thoughts that autism and vaccines were linked. Another step was a judge in
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the Court of Federal Claims in Washington, D.C. ruling “routine childhood immunizations were
not linked to autism” (Holt). Despite these two striking and compelling pieces of evidence, many
people still connect autism and vaccinations.
Another reason parents do not believe in childhood vaccination is the thought that once
they get vaccinated, they will get the disease as well. People that do get vaccinated may get the
disease, but there is a reason for this. “In fact, during an outbreak, the number of vaccinated
individuals who get sick will often outnumber the unvaccinated people who get sick. This,
however, is not because vaccines are ineffective, but because there are so few people who avoid
vaccination in the first place” (“Misconceptions about”). Because these people do not have
protection against the disease, they spread it to those that are not hundred percent protected yet.
Vaccinations are actually “85% to 95% [effective] of recipients” (“Some Common”). They
protect most people for the most part; however, when a person comes in contact with an infected
person, that person may still be at risk. Another reason so many people believe that they will get
the disease once they get the vaccination is because they believe some vaccines have live viruses
in them. Despite this theory, “chemicals are added to vaccines to inactivate a virus or bacteria
and stabilize the vaccine, helping to preserve the vaccine and prevent it from losing its potency
over time” (“Ingredients of”). Due to this addition of other chemicals, the person will not
automatically get the disease even with the virus inside. This is another reason why vaccinations
are not as dangerous as an increasing number of parents believe they are.
Vaccinations have been the subject of controversy with parents for many reasons
including a difference in religion, the possibility of harmful side effects, the supposed link
between them and autism, and the idea that once a person gets vaccinated, they will get the
disease. Many misconceptions have been surrounding vaccines for years, which are now causing
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a growing number of parents to shy away from using them. Children are the most susceptible to
diseases which means they need the vaccines the most. Government agencies and doctors around
the world promote the use of vaccination, and many of the benefits greatly outnumber the risks.
With all these good outcomes, why should children not get vaccinated?
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Works Cited
Colby, Helen, and Tish Davidson. "Meningitis." The Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Ed. Laurie
J. Fundukian. 4th ed. Vol. 4. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 2818-2825. Gale Virtual Reference
Library. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.
Davidson, Tish, et al. "Children's Health." The Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health. Ed. Laurie J.
Fundukian. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2013. 172-179. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web.
28 Oct. 2013.
Galewitz, Phil. "Religious Exemption Let Kids in Palm Beach County, Fla., to Skip
Immunizations." McClatchy - Tribune Business News. 6 August 2008. ProQuest. Web. 8
Nov. 2013.
Holt, Tony. "Local Parents Unfazed by Autism Ruling." McClatchy - Tribune Business News. 19
February 2008. ProQuest. Web. 9 November 2013.
“How Vaccines Prevent Disease.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 25 April 2012.
Web. 8 November 2013.
"Immunization does Not Cause Autism, British Study Says." National Post: 0. 8 February 2008.
ProQuest. Web. 9 November 2013 .
"JAMA and Archives Journals; Removing Thimerosal from Vaccines did Not Reduce Autism
Cases in California." NewsRx Health (2008): 238. ProQuest. Web. 9 November 2013.
Levitsky, Lynne. “Childhood Immunizations and Chronic Illness.” The New England Journal of
Medicine. 1 April 2004. Web. 5 November 2013.
Linwood, Aileen, Tish Davidson, and Paul Checchia. "Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccine." The
Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health: Infancy through Adolescence. Ed. Jacqueline L.
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Longe. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 1441-1443. Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Web. 28 Oct. 2013.
“Misconceptions about Vaccines.” The History of Vaccines. 2013. Web. 9 November 2013.
Rhonda. "Immunization." The Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health. Ed. Laurie J. Fundukian.
Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2013. 477-483. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 Nov. 2013.
Sears, Robert W. The Vaccine Book. 2nd ed. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2011. Print.
“Some Common Misconceptions.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 18 February
2011. Web. 8 November 2013.
“What are some of the myths – and facts – about vaccination?” World Health Organization.
April 2013. Web. 9 November 2013.
“Why Immunize?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 14 March 2012. Web. 8
November 2013.