This house support mandatory vaccinations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

This house support mandatory vaccinations - Essay Example This is where the government steps in with the interests of the general well being of the citizens in heart. Citation: Collier in his book ‘Vaccines’, 2004, explains that vaccines work to prime the immune system against future attacks by a particular disease. This disease could be either viral, bacterial, or any other disease causing agents. When a pathogen enters the body, the immune system generates antibodies to try to fight it off. In case of exposure to the same pathogen in the then or in the future, the antibodies will recognize it and fight it off. Interpretation: This is to mean that the individual has immunity against the disease he or she is vaccinated against. This is good since exposure to a disease common in a particular area means that he or she will not get infected therefore preventing its spread. Citation: Merino’s book ‘Should Vaccinations be Mandatory’ clearly states that the risks of natural infection outweigh those of immunization for each recommended vaccine. An example; a wild measles infection causes inflammation of the brain for 1 in every 1,000 infected persons. In general, measles infection results in the death of 2 out of every 1,000 infected persons. However, the combination of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine results in a severe allergic reaction only once in every million vaccinated persons at the same time preventing the spread and infection of measles. Evidence: With the global air travel increasing, there is an equal rise in the risk of exposure to infectious diseases abroad. Other travelers transmit and disseminate disease like in the case of polio and the dispersal of meningococcal strains by the returning pilgrims from Saudi Arabia. In the case of the Muslim Hajj, local authorities require vaccination from this disease and other forms of vaccinations like influenza and hepatitis B, for pilgrims. Citation: