Vaccination is the administration of an antigen to one’s body so as to stimulate the immune system against a pathogen. Vaccines are commonly administered to young children from birth up to the age of 5 although some are administered to adults. While there are supporters of vaccinations, there are critics of the same. This paper the basic argument of opposing viewpoints, strengths, and weaknesses of both views and agreement on a view.
Basic Argument of Opposing View Point
According to Martin and Martin (2011), vaccination has been recognized as one of the major contributors to human health and medicine which greatly reduces the number of infectious diseases. Despite this, there have been controversies on vaccination. There are several areas of tension and discrepancy in the debate on vaccination as there exist supporters and critics of it.
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Critics of vaccination argue that before the introduction of vaccines, the seriousness of infectious diseases was declining and that bulk presence of vaccines made small or no impact at all on decreasing death rates (Martin, 2011).
Strengths of Supporting View
Immunise ( 2013) postulates that some vaccines may contain Aluminum salt that may help produce a better immune response. In addition, vaccinations have been behind great declines in illnesses and death from infectious diseases, and it remains to be an important mechanism to avert a reappearance of an illness ( UNICEF, 2016). As a result, vaccines have helped save many lives.
Weaknesses of Supporting View
Some vaccines should be given with caution as they cause undesirable results. Some vaccine such as those of Influenza have traces of eggs and should be administered with caution to individuals who are allergic to eggs. Consequently, it takes like two weeks for the body to produce an immune response after the administration of a vaccine. That means that a vaccine does not produce immediate results. In addition, some vaccines need to be given more than once so as to produce a long lasting immune response (Immunise, 2013).
According to Immunise, the protective effect of vaccines is not lifelong; they have a lifespan and even if all the doses of the vaccine have been given an individual is not guaranteed of protection against a disease.
Strengths of Opposing View
Decreases in mortality rates from infectious illnesses in developed states ought to come from public health mechanisms like the provision of clean water, enhancements of levels of hygiene and ensuring good income levels (Martin, 2011). According to Serpell & Green (2006), vaccines represent a burden to the immune system that should be able to fight off disease by itself if a person is healthy. The vaccine may cause a disease because it may contain the original virus or due to the substances used to preserve the vaccine.
Weakness of Opposing View
Critics of vaccinations pay close attention to adverse reactions to a vaccine that is when someone reacts to a vaccine (Martin, 2011). They argue that developing a disease like polio, convulsion, brain damage and death are linked to vaccines. However, these situations may be brought about by other factors other than the vaccine.
The View I Agree on
I agree on the view supporting vaccinations. The use of vaccines is justified due to their reduction of child deaths, and the reduction of long-term disability among children. They also help in monetary savings made from reduced visits to clinics and hospitalization. As a result, I agree that vaccines are helpful especially among the children because they save lives and protect them from other health issues (Martin, 2011).
Conclusion
There have been major debates on vaccinations with some supporting them while others, opposing. Some issues surrounding vaccinations are like their impacts on deaths, duration it takes to work, their link to some diseases and disorders and their efficiency. However, they also play a crucial role in reducing child mortality and other illnesses.
References
Serpell, L.I. and Green, J.(2006).Parental Decision Making and Childhood Vaccination . Vaccine 8;24 (19):4041-6.
Martin, B. (2011). Debating vaccination: understanding the attack on the Australian Vaccination Network. Retrieved from http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1590&context=artspapers
Immunise (2013). Understanding childhood Immunisation . Retrieved from http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/4C16E579B3126D0CCA257D4D0081E4AF/$File/Your-guide-to-UCI-2013.pdf
UNICEF (2016). Immunization. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/immunization/
