Even though measles’ disease was almost eradicated due to the invention of vaccines, its outbreaks still manifest in the modern world. A simple vaccination procedure saved lives and raised the standard of living of a person. Nowadays, people do not face this disease and its consequences, and for this reason, they are not afraid of it enough. Moreover, fear of the vaccine appeared – irrational and endangering the entire population.
The effectiveness of vaccination is determined by collective immunity when the percentage of those not vaccinated is so small that the disease’s spread is almost impossible. Increasing this percentage beyond the limit is a threat of measles (Dzubay para. 3). Surprisingly, a selfish desire to refuse the vaccination comes from the population’s educated and wealthy segments. They question the doctors’ recommendations and, based on information from unreliable sources, justify their refusal. The root of incorrect data is in Andrew Wakefield’s 1994 publication of a pseudo-study claiming that the vaccine is the cause of autism in children (Dzubay para. 4). Although kids sometimes experience seizures after the procedure, this is only a manifestation of existing problems and not the reason for their appearance. Economic and political justifications for vaccine waivers are more often similar to conspiracy theories arguing that this is an interference in a person’s personal space and a way for pharmaceutical companies to become enraged.
Thus, fear, based on false information spreads, exposing the population to the danger of new epidemics of such a disease like measles. Driven by selfishness, people do not even agree to an argumentative discussion of the reasons for refusal. On these grounds, it is necessary to fight so that citizens should be more responsible, understand that their actions affect the whole society, and be open to discussion. Dissatisfaction with certain aspects of vaccination is an excuse for calls to improve the procedure, rather than refuse it.
Works Cited
Dzubay, Sarah. “An Outbreak of the Irrational.” University of Notre Dame.