In: Nursing
Through a published schedule and set of guidelines, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health officials recommend that every child receive certain vaccinations by age 6. What are the benefits of this recommendation to public health officials, to the community and to other children?
Some parents and health care professionals question the CDC’s recommendations and decide not to vaccinate their children, while others, like Jennifer Margulis, choose to vaccinate their children along an alternative schedule. How might her decision affect both her own children and others?
In what ways is vaccination different from other types of
personal health decisions?
a. Who should be involved in deciding whether children receive a
specific vaccine?
Should the government have the right to compel vaccination? Should parents have the right to refuse it?
1)ans)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sets the
U.S.
childhood immunization schedule based on recommendations from
the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—a group
of
medical and public health experts. This schedule also is approved
by the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy
of
Family Physicians (AAFP). To develop comprehensive
recommendations
for each vaccine, ACIP works throughout the year, reviewing
available
data on new and existing vaccines.
The information ACIP reviews for each vaccine always
includes—
• The safety and efficacy of the vaccine when given at specific
ages—only
vaccines licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
are
recommended, and vaccine makers must conduct rigorous tests to
show
that a vaccine is safe and effective at specific ages.
• The severity of the disease—vaccines recommended for children
prevent
diseases that can be serious for them, potentially causing
long-term
health problems or death.
• How many children get the disease if there is no vaccine—vaccines
that
do not provide benefit to many children may not be
recommended.
• The differences in how well a vaccine works for children of
different
ages—the ability of vaccines to help the body produce immunity can
vary
depending on the age when the vaccine is given.
Infants and young children who follow immunization schedules
that
spread out shots—or leave out shots—are at risk of developing
diseases
during the time that shots are delayed. Following the
recommended
immunization schedule protects infants and children by providing
immunity
early in life, before they are exposed to potentially
life-threatening diseases.
If a young child falls behind the recommended schedule, parents
and
health care professionals should use the catch-up immunization
schedule to
quickly get the child up-to-date, reducing the amount of time the
child is left
vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases.
2) ans)
Choosing to vaccinate along another schedule can put her child, and
others, at risk. Not following the guidelines can set back vaccines
that require multiple doses throughout the years, leaving your
child exposed to contracting a disease. The CDC has a guideline
because, through years of study and research, that is when they
believe is best to protect your child. Although Margulis is
protecting her child by vaccinating, vaccinating along a different
schedule can still pose some risk.
3 ans )
Vaccines are different in the sense that just because you don’t get the vaccine, doesn’t mean you’ll get sick, so some feel they are unnecessary. Physicians and specialists are best to consult on whether or not children should receive a vaccine. Ultimately it is the parents’ decision, but its best to follow the guidelines from people who have spent years studying disease and vaccines.
4) ans)
I
think the government should have the right to compel vaccination.
This is because it helps protect the community. It only takes one
infected person to infect a whole town, state, and nation.By
vaccinating, you’re decreasing the overall risk that faces the
population and the risks that faces you