Should All Vaccines Be Required?

1777, General George Washington made the controversial decision to order the mass inoculation of his soldiers. An effort to combat the spread of Smallpox that, at the time, prevented enlistments,  posed the risk of hurting his army and tipping the balance of power against America's first warfighters. 2022, even before the Covid pandemic, and especially after, America has been asking: Should vaccines be required for kids to attend school? Should vaccines even be required?. 

In the early nineteenth century, European nation states began making smallpox vaccination mandatory for their armies, for the poor, or for the populace in general. Anti-vaccinationists formed to protest what they saw as unequal treatment and undue infringement of individual liberty.

Why it should be required

Vaccines can save kids’ lives. The American Academy of Pediatrics said that most childhood vaccines are 90%-99% effective in preventing diseases. They also use ingredients that are safe in the amounts that are used. Basically, they used harmful ingredients, but in a safe dosage. A third reason why it should be required is that vaccines not only protect you, but the community itself. It is harder for an outbreak to occur when everyone is fully vaccinated and has boosters as well. THe last reason is that Major medical organizations say that they are safe. The CDC, FDA ,IOM, AMA, APP,  and the USDHHS all say that they are safe for citizens

Why it should not be required

One huge reason people do not want a vaccine is because vaccines can cause serious and sometimes fatal side effects. Long term seizures, coma, and permanent brain damage may be associated with DTaP, a vaccine that handles 3 diseases and infections. A second reason is because vaccines contain harmful ingredients.There is Aluminum in some vaccines, which can cause brain damage, and some vaccines contain chicken egg protein and yeast proteins, which may be harmful to children or adults allergic to it. The last reason why it shouldn’t be required is because people believe that the government should not intervene in personal medical choices. Medical decisions for children should be left for the parents or caregivers. Freedom over one’s physical self is the most basic freedom of all, and people in a free society should be able to to have that, otherwise, the government basically owns our body. 

All 50 states require vaccinations for children entering public schools even though no mandatory federal vaccination laws exist. All 50 states issue medical exemptions, 47 states (excluding California, Mississippi, and West Virginia) permit religious exemptions, and 16 states allow an exemption for lifestyle reasons.

I think that it should be the parent/guardian's choice on whether or not their child gets certain vaccinations. I am not just talking about Covid vaccines, but any of them.I think that once the child turns 13-14, they should be able to have a least a part of a say in what they want and believe in, and I don’t think that schools should require vaccines for a child to go there. 

Questions

Do you think that we should have required vaccines?

 

If you were a parent and you had to give your child a certain vaccine (even if you don’t believe in it) how would you feel?

 

 Do you think that political views influence the rates of people who want vaccines to be mandatory and those who don’t?

 

Sources

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Source 3

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Replies

    • Exactly, I think that the parents should choose, and when babies are young and their immune system is low, we should have vaccines, but if they are around our age, it should be our choice as to whether or not we get them

  • I think that it depends on the situation. I don't think it should be governmentally mandated but I do think it would be appropriate to have private employers and companies require it to work for them. And I do think that politics influence as the left is more pro-vaccine then the left

  • I don't think that vaccines should be required because some people may not want to have one because of some medical issue. In other situations, many people have different opinions on them. People should get to decided whether they certain vaccines or not. 

  • I don't think it should be required because some people have health problem which can cause them not be allowed to get the vaccine. I wouldn't give my kids any vaccine that i don't believe they should have. Yes I think political view incluence the rates of people who want vaccine to be mandatory and those who don't.

    • I agree, if I don't like what they put in there, or don't think it would do much, I wouldn't want my kid to have it either. Politics basically detirmine what vaccines should be manditory and what shouldn't 

  • In my opinion, I do not think vaccines should be required. We really don't know how it is going to affect people 10 years from now. in my opinion, I think that it is your choice to get it or not, nobody should control what you do other than yourself.

  • I don't think it should be required because some people may have other health problems that could further harm them. I think that if you keep it optional more people will get it. I say this because we life in a free country and if you try to take freedom away from people than it would upset a lot of people. 

    • I agree with you completely. It is basic marketing really, if you force things on people, they don't like it as much as if they have a choice. 

  • I dont think they should be required because some people are not able to take vaccines or might be allergic to them. If those people cant have a vaccine then how are they going to be able to require all over resturants and other public places. 

  • I dont think it should be required because some people may have heart problems or just cant get them in general. Then when you are required to have a vaccine in a shop or resteraunt and this kid wuth heart problems cant get it because of it, he has to stay home and some people just dint want it becasue of the affects,.

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