Vaccinations have saved and stopped copious amounts of children from developing life-threatening diseases, to the point of near extinction of certain germ culture in the United States. That is, until anti-vaccination became a movement, and ignorance overpowered the safety and well-being of not only anti-vaxxers children, but those around them.

     The safety of children should always be prioritized over anything else for parents alike. Any political “statement” or “movement”, that some parents are deciding to stand by, especially one as life-threatening as this, is not only allowing children to develop diseases that were easily preventable, but causing some to lose their lives over the delusional decisions their selfish and strong-headed parents, who are responsible for their health, made. 

      Vaccinations save and shelter approximately 2-3 billion lives worldwide. Diseases like measles, tetanus, polio, and smallpox have been reduced by 96.9% in the U.S., almost to the point of the “death” of these viruses if you will. But, although the majority of the United States is vaccinated, if a young child whose parents have not allowed them to be geared with the proper materials to fight these diseases comes in contact with a foreigner who has not been vaccinated, this can spread and infect the child, leading to an outbreak to children across the United States when they come in contact with an affected child who has been neglected and untreated.  According to VaccineInformation.org, “Though vaccination has led to a dramatic decline in the number of U.S. cases of several infectious diseases, some of these diseases are quite common in other countries and are brought to the U.S. by international travelers. If children are not vaccinated, they could easily get one of these diseases from a traveler or while traveling themselves.” Not only is it important to protect the well-being of other children by vaccinating, if foreigners visit the United States and come in contact with someone untreated, your children could be transferred a disease if they were not vaccinated .

  Vaccinations are easily accessible to children in the United States, and although they’re strongly enforced and publicized, some parents refuse to vaccinate their children. Vaccines help to build the immune system of young children, who otherwise, could develop previously mentioned life-threatening diseases. Parents are neglectful and have failed as the guardians of their child if they fail to immunize them. Being, “pro-anti vaccination” does not only damage and put millions of other young children in a position to fight for their lives, but it also damages the society in which we inhabit, with diseases becoming a nationwide threat to the youth.

Anti-vaxxers may view vaccinations as, “unnecessary” toxins, which lead their child into a life of depending on medication. According to VacTruth.com, “The only way to create true life-long immunity to a disease is through natural exposure to the disease in which the body creates true antibodies and immunity on many levels.”  What they don’t realize, is vaccines only help to give immune systems a much needed push to develop an immunity to diseases, which could kill millions. Vaccinations help grow and build immune systems so the immunized will be almost 100% less-likely to get affected by these. The body is not depending on medications, rather using them to make itself stronger, and develop a natural “medication” to fight off these harmful viruses that is already pre-existing.

  As time goes on, this anti-vax movement can and will indefinitely cause millions of children to lose their lives at the hands of the American people. Vaccinations need to be enforced for the good of the people.

 It is time to take action; politicians and the general public need to come together and save the lives of our future generations and make immunization mandatory.

 Vaccinations can cause harm to a child’s body.  The child’s  body becomes dependent on unnecessary chemicals and medications, setting them up for an unhealthy and drug-induced life.

There are many controversies with why children should or shouldn’t be vaccinated. Many children are healthy so why would you try to fix something that doesn’t need help ? Many vaccinations have harmful chemicals that have been linked autism and other disorders. According to procon.org vaccines carry a risk of a life-threatening allergic reaction. Permanent brain damage may be associated with the DTaP which is a shot that is used in infants. Vaccines also contain harmful ingredients as well.

Mandatory vaccines can go against protected religious freedoms. Some religions don’t believe in vaccinations so why would we make them go against something they believe in?   The First Amendment of the US Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Parents and guardians shouldn’t be forced to do something to their children if they agree with it. It isn’t right. Who are we do disrespect it? 

 Some may say that vaccinations save lives. By injecting a small amount of the disease into a patient, this allows the immune system of said patient to develop an immunity to this disease. So, if they face this further into their lifetime, they will already be immune and developed to prevent themselves from this encounter again. It is never a guarantee the the child will never get sick. Although some argue that those who are already immunized shouldn’t be worried about other children getting affected, immunizations are not a guarantee but they have drastically decreased diseases amongst children all over the United States.

In order for the different options to bounce around, parents should be able to decide what they think is best for their child. No one should have a say in it. It should be whatever works for them.