Pertussis is currently a very hot topic although
many really don’t know what it is. Currently things are being done in an
attempt to stop the spread of the disease.
Pertussis and Politics
Many may think science and politics are two
completely different fields that never intersect. Although they are two very
different areas of focus, they actually intersect quite frequently. We see
example of laws being passed for things like the environment. In Virginia, it
is required by law to have your car looked at and emissions checked. Well they
do the same sort of thing for diseases as well, especially with pertussis. In
2010, Assembly bill 354 was signed into law. This law stated that students entering
or advancing in grades seven through twelve are required by law to show proof
of immunization with a pertussis vaccine booster called, tetanus toxoid,
reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine, more commonly known
as the Tdap. Many think the government is over bearing and should have no right
passing bills that require them to inject their children, but what people don’t
realize is that these bills effectively aid in combating pertussis.
Rise Against the Vaccine
The very problem we have now is people refusing to
get their children vaccinated. As stated above only grade seven through twelve
are required of show proof of vaccination. This means parents of children
younger than this range can opt out of the vaccination altogether until the
seventh grade is reached. Here in lies the problem. People refuse to get
vaccinated because there have been reports
which ultimately aids
the spread of the disease. People believed certain ingredients in the vaccines
were the source of the problem One ingriedient in question was thimersoral.
Thimersoral was used as a preservative in many childhood vaccines. Contrary to
popular belief, it was removed from vaccines in 2001. Many studies have since
been done and there were no trends found supporting a link between thimersoral
and autism. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) have done several studies and
published a scientific review stating there is causal relationship between
thimerosal–containing vaccines and autism. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention support the findings of the IOM.
The Verdict
Although many studies have been done disproving the
fact that vaccines, including pertussis, can cause Autism, many for some reason
still believe they do. It is important to note that Andrew Wakefield’s
published paper, stating vaccines cause autism, has since been retracted because
he falsified his findings. He has also lost creditability as a research, yet
people still stand by his findings. People cannot continue to make decisions
that can have serious consequences while being uninformed. Hopefully if there
is anyone out there who believes vaccines are detrimental to child health, they
should at least do some research before they make a particularly risky choice.
References
Concerns
About Autism. (2014, November 18). Retrieved November 26, 2014, from
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/autism/
Pertussis
(Whooping Cough) Vaccine Requirement. (2014, August 28). Retrieved November 26,
2014, from http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/pertussis.asp
Randy,
ReplyDeleteGood post! It is so true that someone makes a false statement and everyone starts believing it and things start getting messy and out of hand due to no reason. In this case Andrew Wakefield made a false research and we are still paying its price.
On the other hand, about making tetanus toxoid vaccine mandatory for those children, I think it was great that the government intervened. In situations like these, I believe it is the government who can implement certain laws and make sure everyone follows. People at that time might think they are being forced to get their children vaccinated but in the long run, it is for their benefit and we should be thankful that we have the right resources to help fight this disease unlike many other countries where vaccines against diseases are not as readily available.
It has been a pleasure reading all your posts Randy, all the best!
I know there are a lot of people who decide to opt out from getting their children vaccinated but they need to first do more research like you said and second they need to understand that their decision also affects other children. In my paper I talked a lot about how the government always tries to restrict things but the number one method to help people is to educate them. I have noticed many situations where the government passes a law that people think it’s to make things more difficult but it’s for your own safety and this needs to be understood by everyone.
ReplyDeleteRandy, this is a great topic of discussion because it is relevant to us all. At one time or another we’ve all had to take immunization shots and just being scared of the needles is enough, let alone the possibility of attracting another disease. Now a days they’ve even required shots for universities (George Mason included) and it sucks. Another great point you brought up was how even if something was considered falsified, there are still people out there who are just going with stereotypes that they hear from others. I believe it is our duty to be on top of what happens with our children, and necessary to be correctly informed before jumping to any rash conclusions. Overall, great blogging for this project and I learned a lot from this topic.
ReplyDeleteI think that parents are scared for their children. Autism seems to be increasing in frequency and we don’t have a clear answer as to why. When people are afraid they often latch on to any answer that might seem plausible, even if there is no proof to substantiate it. I believe that is what is happening now with the anti-vaccination movement. A few public figures jumped on and perpetuated the rumor without having their facts straight. People felt comforted that now a cause had been identified they could protect their children from autism. I sympathize with parents who want to believe this but the fact is that they end up putting their children in greater danger by not protecting them from diseases like this one.
ReplyDeleteHi Randy,
ReplyDeleteYou’ve made great points in your post regarding vaccines. People fear what they do not understand and those who are feel that their opinion matters more than others tend to be the loudest. Unfortunately, people latch onto the rare side effects of these vaccines. Therefore, they would not rather “risk” the side effects that their children may develop. Yeah, needles can be scary and could cause some discomfort but the benefits outweigh the risk. Diseases that once were non-existent (like the measles) due to vaccines are now returning now that some parents are opting out. Overall, you’ve made great points!
Vaccinations have always been a very controversial topic. I share your opinion on how people believe in myths about vaccines. Yes, vaccines have side-effects, but I feel that the benefits of the vaccines outweigh the side-effects. People believe whatever is on the web or whatever is told to them, but they never bother to check the facts themselves. Vaccines leading to autism instilled a fear against vaccination in people for years, but I don’t understand why they still have that fear even after that study was proved to be false. Smallpox vaccine successfully ended that disease and polio vaccine has been effective in uprooting the disease in almost every country in the world. There is so much ignorance among the people. New parents especially need to be educated on the vaccines.
ReplyDelete