Innehållsförteckning
Vaccine Effects
- Anti-Vaxxers.
- Vaccination Exemptions.

Conclusion

Utdrag
During my exploration of the vaccine debate, I encountered a plethora of compelling arguments emphasizing the perils associated with a society that opts against vaccination.

By scrutinizing the prevalence of various diseases both before and after the widespread adoption of numerous vaccines, the significance of immunization measures came into sharp focus.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of this contentious issue, I delved into articles elucidating the rationale behind the anti-vaxxers' refusal to vaccinate while also examining countervailing evidence challenging their assertions.

My research encompassed an exploration of prevailing public attitudes toward vaccines, aimed at ascertaining the appropriateness of mandating vaccinations, irrespective of individuals' religious, philosophical, or other personal objections.

Consequently, the objective of this paper is twofold: to comprehend the current decline in vaccination rates and to arrive at a conclusion regarding the necessity of mandating vaccines, irrespective of the diversity of reasons people may have for abstaining.

VACCINE EFFECTS
Before the advent of vaccines, the prevalence of now vaccine-preventable diseases was substantially higher.

For example, in 1952, before the polio vaccine, there were a staggering 57,879 cases of paralytic polio. However, just six years after the vaccine's introduction in 1955, this number plummeted to a mere 1,312 cases, marking an impressive 98% reduction (Kluger 2).

Similarly, prior to the introduction of measles vaccines, an estimated 3-4 million Americans fell victim to the disease annually, but by 2012, this figure had dwindled to a mere 55 cases (Kluger 2).

These statistics underscore the crucial role vaccines play in safeguarding public health and demonstrate that without them, society becomes more vulnerable to infectious diseases.

In recent years, a worrisome decline in vaccination rates has emerged, leading to an uptick in vaccine-preventable diseases, posing a threat to individuals and society as a whole. In 2004, only 37 cases of measles were reported, but this number skyrocketed to 1,022 within the first five months of 2019.

This alarming increase is a consequence of vaccination rates falling below the recommended herd immunity threshold and the persisting resistance among parents to vaccinate their children (Kluger 3).

In 2019 alone, there were 1,002 cases of mumps, largely attributed to individuals missing booster shots and a failure to initiate vaccination in the first place (Kluger 4).