I am a strong supporter of the idea that people should be able to act and think however they want, as long as their decisions do not harm others. The choice to not vaccinate has been adopted by too many parents and it is not only harmful to their kids, but also to many other individuals such as those with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and infants. Diseases that haven’t been seen in a long time are suddenly appearing all over the United States, some of them fatal.
This movement got its driving force in 1998, after Andrew Wakefield published a research paper claiming there was a link between vaccines and autism. The Lancet medical journal later retracted Wakefield’s paper after it was discovered that the claims he made were false. Not only that, but it was discovered that he used unethical methods while conducting his research and his medical license has since been revoked.
Despite anti-vaxxers’ main source of evidence being recalled for being fraudulent and many scientific studies showing that vaccines are safe, the movement is still moving forward. Celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy and others are giving this dangerous movement a platform. Those celebrities and the individuals who do not vaccinate themselves and their children for any other reason than a legitimate medical reason should be ashamed of themselves.
Such selfishness has caused an increase in preventable diseases that have not been seen in decades. Some of the diseases making a comeback are the measles, mumps, chickenpox, whooping cough, among others. Not too long ago there was a measles outbreak in Disneyland after an unvaccinated individual went to the park while being contagious and infected 147 people. Mumps have also affected many individuals, as of today there have been 1,786 cases of the mumps in the United States, 59 of those coming from just Harvard. There have also been a significant increase in the reported cases of whooping cough and chickenpox.
In an effort to combat the return and spread of deadly diseases, states are taking measures in order to ensure that there are less deliberately unvaccinated children. In California, a state that has experienced many preventable disease outbreaks, Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill to change some of the state's vaccination requirements. While all states have some requirement students be vaccinated in order to attend public schools, California has opted to remove the “personal belief” exemption from that requirement. Individual schools, such as The Children’s House in Michigan, are also taking a stand against this dangerous choice. The Children’s House decided to revise their admission policy and refused to accept new students whose parents have not vaccinated them due to any personal belief.
Some claim that this anti-vaccination movement is no different than gay marriage and they should be allow to choose what is best for their kids. Well let me tell you something, this very different from gay marriage, and it is not just your child. Getting married does not cause harm to another person meanwhile not vaccinating your child could put others at risk. Those other individuals include people who have a compromised immune system or those who are too young to get vaccinated. That is the case of Rhett, a young boy who has undergone four years of chemotherapy in order to fight leukemia, leaving him vulnerable to infections diseases. There are babies too young to be able to be vaccinated infected with preventable diseases.
Don't be scared into not vaccinating your child because of a fraudulent paper or because a celebrity you really like is against it. There is a wealth of scientific data (here's a list 107 studies) showing that there is no evidence that vaccines cause autism. Do not be like the many parents who found out too late of the importance of vaccinating their children. Vaccinate your child so they can live a full and healthy life, and so that others won't be robbed of theirs because of an uneducated decision.
