According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of measles cases in the United States rose 17 times in the first quarter of this year compared to last year.
Half of the people who are affected, mostly children, have had to go to the hospital.
How the Measles Outbreak is Getting worse
This scary trend is mainly caused by parents who don't want to vaccinate their kids against measles and other diseases like polio and whooping cough. 80% of this year's measles cases are in people who have not been vaccinated or whose vaccine status is unknown.
Here, we show four false arguments that made people doubt vaccines and explain the truth behind them.
Misleading Tactics That Fuels Skepticism in Vaccines
1. The "No-Big-Deal" Cliché
People who don't believe in vaccines often say false things like "vaccines are unnecessary because the diseases they prevent are either not dangerous or too rare to worry about." People who use this language say that public health officials and the media are hyping how dangerous diseases like measles are.
For example, the National Vaccine Information Center says renewed worry about measles is just "sky-is-falling" hype. These claims are not valid; measles is a dangerous disease.
The CDC estimates that of every thousand children who contract the disease, two die. Many children who contract measles also suffer from severe complications, including pneumonia and ear infections, which can result in irreversible hearing loss. Moreover, the virus weakened the immune system, complicating recovery from other typical diseases.
In the past 50 years, measles shots have saved about 94 million lives. Combined with other vaccines, they have stopped about 154 million deaths worldwide.
2. The "You Never Know" Type of Story
Since vaccines were developed, some people have believed that they are harmful and unnatural. Over time, this uncertainty has evolved. There is currently no scientific evidence to support the claims made by some detractors that vaccines cause immune system issues and autism.
Vaccines are among the medical treatments that have been studied the most. Many clinical trials and ongoing studies show that they are safe and work.
A study in Denmark that examined more than 657,000 children found no link between the measles shot and autism. In the same way, a survey of 805,000 children born between 1990 and 2001 found no proof that getting too many shots hurts the immune system.
Still, famous people like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. don't believe these results. They say clinical studies are flawed because they don't compare vaccinated kids with a placebo. This claim doesn't consider the moral duty to keep kids from getting known diseases.
3. The Stereotype of "Too-Much-Too-Soon"
The CDC's plan might not work for all kids because many best-selling books tell parents to put off or refuse to get their kids vaccinated. On the other hand, vaccine plans from the CDC are meant to keep kids healthy when they are most likely to get sick.
One example is that the MMR vaccine is given twice. The baby doesn't get its first shot until a year has passed. This is done to keep antibodies from the mother from messing up the shot.
Inputting kids at risk for diseases that can be avoided during critical growth times can increase if they wait to get vaccinated.
4. The "They Don't Want You to Know" Trope
People who are against vaccines often say that science institutions and public health agencies hide information about how vaccines hurt people. They say that people aren't allowed to talk about the risks of vaccines.
Government agencies are clear about possible side effects like arm pain and seizures, and there is a National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to deal with the few cases of injuries caused by vaccines. There is an extremely slim likelihood between 1 and 3.5 per million doses that the MMR vaccination will cause a severe adverse reaction. This is far less likely than having lightning strike you in your lifetime.
The Significance of Knowing
False information about vaccinations gravely jeopardizes public health, as it makes individuals less confident in potentially life-saving vaccinations. Understanding and disproving these false claims is essential to maintaining high vaccination rates and stopping outbreaks of preventable diseases.
Immunizations are an important part of public health because they keep people from getting diseases that are bad for them. They are much more important than the small risks because they keep people from getting serious illnesses, save lives, and lower the cost of healthcare.
To make sure they are safe and effective, vaccines go through a lot of tests. They help protect society, especially the weak, by giving everyone collective immunity. So, vaccinations are very good for your health as a whole.
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