After the implementation and licensure of the live measles vaccine in 1963 the number of cases significantly dropped by 1988 in the U.S... However, in 1989-1991, the number of cases began to rise. 55,000 cases were reported with 495 deaths reported from measles. This increase was blamed on preschool aged children who had not been vaccinated with one dose of vaccine. Outbreaks were also reported in children who had been given one dose of vaccine.
Regardless of the efforts to try and contain the virus, the outbreak became the largest documented measles outbreak in the U.S. since 1996. The outbreak was caused by the importation of measles into a population whose parents had refused to have them vaccinated because of safety concerns about the vaccine. Estimated costs of containing the disease were at least $167,685, including $113,647 at a hospital with an infected employee (Parker, Staggs, Dayan, Ortega-Sanchez, 2006). This outbreak not only affected patients, but a healthcare worker as well. Had this been on a larger scale, just think of the amount of money and people that could have been
Dr. Paul Offit, MD, FAAP, who is a noted expert on vaccines said: “Parents are bombarded with false stories about the dangers of vaccines, and the result is that some are backing away from vaccinating their children. This is tragic, because it leaves children vulnerable to deadly diseases, and it lowers the immunity of the entire community”. (Offit, M.D.) What this means is that if we, as a society, continue to break down population immunity by not vaccinating our children, it will open the door to all of those diseases that we thought were made extinct by vaccines. Population immunity is also referred to as “herd immunity”.
Data published by NHS show that there is high number of measles reported due to 1-16 years old children who missed the vaccinations between 1990s and 2000s. In 2012 the numbers of cases was 2,000. The fears are now concerned on the MMR vaccination, as now there is also a big group of children who did not received their vaccination. NHS urge parents to ensure their children receive the vaccination. This shows that many parents are sceptical to the vaccinations, what might have negative consequences for children.
The investigation included hospitals, day care settings, churches, and schools. Measles outbreaks had been considered eradicated since 2000, however with more and more people choosing to be unvaccinated, and increasing travel outside the United States this has become a worry again for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The current rate for measles in the United States is 1 in 738,672 people (Vaccine incidence, 2014). Despite great achievements put forward toward global reduction of measles, there still remains a large issue. In 2010, 327,305 cases of measles were reported and approximately 139,300 deaths (CDC,
For the sake of public health, vaccinations should be mandatory for children. Most vaccines are ninety to ninety-nine percent effective in the prevention of diseases. Some anti-vaccinationists go as far as to claim mandatory vaccinations are unconstitutional (Ethical Issues and Vaccines; 2011). However, when it comes to public issues of health and safety, we have other laws that are enforced very strictly to protect children. For instance, we are required by law to restrain children in car seats up to the age of six, we are not permitted to smoke in public facilities, we are required to stop at stop signs.
However, unlike with abstinence-only education, it is acknowledged that many adolescents sill still have sexual relations. There are also discussions about contraception, which is largely ignored in abstinence-only models. (ASA) According to records from the Center for Disease control and prevention, 870,000 pregnancies happen each year with young women aged 15-19, and about 30000000 cases of STDs are reported each year among 10-19 years old. (APA 1) HIV is contracted in more than half of cases before the age of 25. (APA 1) Because of facts like this, it is important that adolescents are taught how to protect themselves.
The government were extremely concerned that this was going to be a repeat of the 1918 and 1957 pandemics; where nearly 50-100 million people died worldwide, but, the pandemics became milder as time went on. The deaths were reduced due to medical advancements and more people were aware of the actions needed to prevent the disease; so who is mot at risk? Anyone can suffer from swine flu, but children (specifically under 5’s because their immune systems aren’t fully developed yet), pregnant women and people with existing health problems; are the most affected. The puzzling aspect of the H1N1 virus is that it also effects the healthier of us. At one point, out of 77 deaths 1/5th were extremely healthy.
But your doctor may advise you to not take drugs of any kind. Hepatitis B: In most cases, hepatitis B goes away by itself within 4 to 8 weeks. More than 9 out of 10 adults with HBV recover completely. However, about 1 out of 20 people who get HBV as adults will be "carriers" and have chronic (long-term) infection with HBV. Nine out of 10 infants who get HBV at birth will have chronic infection unless they receive immediate treatment.
More than three million children under the age of five died in 2013 from sub-Saharan Africa, because of not receiving the required three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (Wiysonge, 2015). By 2014, 77% of children in Africa received their childhood vaccinations, this is a significant improvement compared to only 5% in 1980. Despite these achievement, childhood vaccinations are lagging. Wiysonge (2015) states that African dropped the ball, in 2015 the target was to have at least 90% of children across the continent vaccinated with all three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussi; but only 38% of African countries achieved this target (Wiysonge, 2015). Wiysonge (2015) states that government leaders should be held accountable for countries not meeting the agreed targets.