Vaccines. This is a term often heard at the pediatrician's office, the vet's office, and found on several forms. Whether enrolling a child to a public school, or taking a new pet home from the animal shelter, vaccinations are always necessary. But what are vaccines and why are they so important? A vaccine is defined in medical terms as a suspension of weakened or killed microorganisms that is administered to prevent disease. Since British physician Edward Jenner developed the first vaccine in 1796 as a defense against smallpox, which has since been eradicated, vaccines have evolved to cover more and more serious diseases, such as Hepatitis A and tetanus (Brunson 2). Despite the clear necessity for vaccines, it is no secret that there is a growing number of parents (not particularly smart ones) that think it is a good idea to refrain from vaccinating heir children. These parents think that deadly and feared diseases such as smallpox, yellow fever, and mumps can be kept away through the mere use of essential oils and crystals. However, these parents are severely mistaken and their mindset is detrimental to society; As long as this false idea is rooted in their heads, they will continue to harm both their children and society beyond repair.

The refusal of parents to vaccinate their children does not only harm their children, it harms everyone that has the misfortune of being in close vicinity with the children. Take measles, for instance. Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that mainly affects the respiratory system, but can became a gateway disease to pneumonia, cerebral edema, and death (Avramova 2). After someone infected with measles coughs or sneezes, the virus can remain in the air for up to two hours, leaving everyone in the area extremely susceptible. In 2017, the world experienced a 48.1% increase in global measles cases (Avramova 1). Additionally, in 2018, the United States alone experienced a 210% increase national measles cases (Avramova 4). Increases in national cases is simply one small step to a worldwide measles outbreak, as international travel and immigration will place people in close proximity with each other, increasing the likelihood of getting more and more people infected. Lack of proper vaccination is especially detrimental to preventing the spread of measles because it is the only proper cure. There are no medications that have been developed to treat this deadly disease once it is contracted. According to Henrietta H. Fore, the executive director of UNICEF, “lack of action today will have disastrous consequences for children tomorrow (Avramova 2). The growing number of parents who are refusing to vaccinate their offspring will become increasingly damaging because “these cases [don’t] happen overnight” (Avramova 1), meaning that the lack of vaccines works over time, with the risk of a pandemic increasing with every minute that parents do not vaccinate their children.

Unfortunately, a measles is just one of the many horrific and deadly diseases parents are subjecting their children to by failing to properly vaccinate. To name another, vaccines can be given credit for the 97.4% decrease in national mumps cases in the United States (Vanderslott, Roser 5). Mumps is a frighteningly contagious viral disease that can be spread through airborne respiratory residue, saliva, or even touching a contaminated surface. Symptoms include painfully swollen salivary glands, fever, fatigue, and/or appetite loss. In addition, vaccines have previously resulted in a 99.99% decrease in measles cases, and a 100% decrease in cases of death from the disease (Vanderslott, Roser 5). These numbers show that vaccines absolutely do make a significant difference in the instances of disease. By choosing not to provide their children with vaccines, parents are responsible for putting their children in severe risk of contracting these diseases, and in worse cases, death. Any parents who do not provide their children with all the vaccinations necessary should be arrested and charged with child endangerment.

Besides preventing fatal diseases, another major benefit of vaccines is their potential to provide herd immunity. This means that when a certain number of people (this number, called a herd immunity threshold, varies by disease) have received a vaccine, the disease cannot be spread through the population by way of random mixing (Brunson 4). The phenomenon of herd immunity has contributed to the eradication of smallpox. However, herd immunity is not effective if a significant part of the population is not properly vaccinated. Therefore, the growing number of parents who are choosing to refrain from vaccinating their children is a severe threat to the principle of herd immunity. Measles has a herd immunity threshold of 92-95% (Vanderslott, Roser 10). Therefore, only 60% of a population being vaccinated against measles is not nearly enough to keep the disease from spreading. Diseases with high immunity thresholds, such as polio and rubella, are extremely susceptible to spread unless an adequate portion of a population takes all the necessary precautions.

Despite the clear reasons that vaccinations are beneficial, there are a few drawbacks. Recipients of vaccines can have negative reactions, known medically as adverse effects. For example, the adverse effects of the smallpox vaccine range from mild to moderate to severe. The moderate to severe effects consist of but are not limited to, swollen lymph nodes, eye infections, loss of vision, and death, for those with weaker immune systems (History of Vaccines 2). However, the risk of experiencing a severe adverse effect after a vaccination, about 1 in a million (History of Vaccines 2), is much lower than the risk of contracting a deadly disease because of the lack of a vaccination. Even the most severe adverse effects are not nearly as damaging as the symptoms of the diseases that vaccinations work against.

Vaccinations are absolutely and completely necessary in this day and age, not only for the safety of an individual, but for the safety of society, so that these horrible diseases do not disperse themselves once again. As parents, every mother and father has a responsibility to keep their child safe and healthy, and an obligation to put the needs of their child above everything else. And as members of society, every mom and dad has a responsibility to do their part to keep society functioning and healthy. If a parent fails to properly vaccinate their children, they fail both their child and all of society.