Mandatory Immunization In Canada

Recently, many diseases that had been eradicated because of childhood vaccinations have been making an appearance. Health officials are concerned that diseases will spread and lives will be lost. Officials all agree that vaccinations will benefit the population. Some parents feel it is an infringement on the right to keep the children healthy and safe. Vaccinations should be mandatory for all children because it will prevent diseases from spreading, protect future generations, and save children and parents time and money.

Consequently, it becomes vital for all children who attend school to receive proper vaccinations. Due to the simple fact that not only do vaccinations protect the children who receives the administered shots, it also protects other children in the school. Subsequently, if children do not receive proper vaccinations it will endanger “both the health of the children themselves as well as others who would not be exposed to preventable illnesses” (Daley, Glanz). Once one child obtains a disease, it

To prepare for their five- (and soon to be five) year-olds for the first day of school, parents may lay out clothes the night before, pack backpacks and steel themselves for teary goodbyes. They’re also supposed to have made sure their kids are up to date on all state-required vaccinations. But about six percent of the state’s half million kindergarteners won’t have all their shots when they file into class. These undervaccinated students, who in some schools make up to more than half of the entering class, are different from children whose parents who excuse them entirely from vaccinations due to medical issues or personal beliefs. These undervaccinated children can attend school on a “conditional” basis — with the promise to get fully vaccinated soon.

Anne Roe once said, “Nothing in science has any value to society if it is not communicated.” Unfortunately, we live in an age where misinformation allows the distortion of science for decidedly un-scientific purposes. There is no greater example of this phenomenon than the anti-vaccination epidemic. Childhood vaccinations for easily prevented diseases such as Diphtheria, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningococcal Disease, Pertussis, and Varicella, must be made mandatory for all Canadians attempting to enroll in public school or public day care, with exemptions only for medical complications. It is a social responsibility that is essential for protecting the most vulnerable Canadians, is statistically proven to have minimal risks, and will help eradicate diseases across Canada.

“Vaccines save lives; fear endangers them. It's an unpretentious message parents need to keep hearing.” –Jeffery Kluger. The change in seasons can be intense for some people. It triggers them to become ill and get sick if they do not take care of themselves. Children, among these people, are more prone to becoming ill because their immune systems are not yet fully developed. A great number of parents do not know that getting their children vaccinated when recommended by doctors is a simple solution to childhood illnesses. Therefore, there should be stricter legal regulations that encourage parents to ensure that their children receive vaccinations. This will raise the awareness of vaccinations which will help more people receive them so

In the United States, the law states that vaccinations are required for children entering school unless they have a valid reason that prevents them from receiving the vaccinations. Starting when children are born, they begin the regimen of vaccinations that continue throughout their adolescent years and adulthood. Each year children receive a variation of shots to protect them from the illnesses they will encounter in the world, especially once they attend school. The most common reasons parents forego getting their children vaccinated are religious beliefs, medical exemptions, and personal beliefs. Due to the rising number of parents declining to get their children vaccinated, the number of outbreaks of preventable diseases has increased. The question is now should parents/guardians be forced to vaccinate their children?

It is very important for healthcare providers to be educated on the safety concern of vaccination. Proper protocols must be taken through evidence-based research on the issue of vaccination and the risk factors that can allow stakeholders better implementation on laws that can be beneficial to parents. The stakeholder’s in the healthcare field such as patients, healthcare providers, insurance companies, organizations, and those who enforce policy main concern are the safety of these patients. The decisions most of these stakeholders make can either benefit patients or affect them. For example, the consequences parents have if their child is not vaccinated. The mandatory law of children who are not vaccinated cannot enrolled in school is unfair to parents. I believe parents should not be penalized or forced for their child to be vaccinated. If all stakeholders can reunite through evidence based research on the topic of vaccinations risk concern it can cause a positive impact on parents and alternative ways children can prevent the side

Between 1924 and 2013, vaccinations prevented 103 million cases of polio, measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, diphtheria, and pertussis (Bailey). Vaccinating is “the process by which pathogenic cells are injected into a healthy person in an attempt to cause the body to develop antibodies to a particular virus or bacterium—successful creation of antibodies is referred to as immunity to the disease caused by the particular pathogen” (Introduction to Should Vaccinations be Mandatory). Popular conflicts regarding vaccination include the worry that this form of immunization isn’t natural, the idea that vaccination schedule for children in the U.S. takes away parents’ rights to make decisions for their children, and the concern that vaccinations aren’t safe for all children. Most doctors and scientists advocate for vaccinations in the name of herd immunity, protection against foreign diseases and prevention against pockets of disease outbreaks. Vaccinations should be mandatory for all children in the United States for who they are deemed safe and effective.

In history, only three provinces had mandatory requirements for vaccines, Ontario, Manitoba and New Brunswick. Nonetheless, proponents for mandatory vaccination believe that it should be done on a local scale. They believe that the large percentage of Canada 's population who are unvaccinated should a cause for worry because of recent issues in public health. No wonder, Ontario 's Immunization of School Pupils Act, in its commitment to ensure the vaccination of all its constituents, suspends children from school if they could not show proof of vaccines or of valid exemption from this vaccination law.

Mandatory vaccination is an extremely controversial topic because it violates constitutionally protected right to practice religion and personal beliefs in the absence of the true health emergency (First Amendment of the Constitution). The new law destroys the individual rights of parents to make voluntary decisions in the best interest of their children in the health care decisions and diminishes the role of parents in upbringing and educating their children (Skov).

Over the years, there has been much controversy surrounding the subject of childhood vaccinations. With differing opinions, many are in favor about childhood vaccinations being required for children. Children vaccinations have been proven to be an effective means of preventing serious effects, including fatalities, from childhood illnesses yet there is still controversy over whether the risk of side effects from the vaccines outweighs the risk of contracting diseases. The belief behind mandatory vaccinations has been linked to people wanting vaccinations to be required for children because it will prevent the spread of childhood diseases, but there are still questions and concerns around why childhood vaccinations should be required. Questions surrounding this topic are: why should vaccines be required, are there any serious risks involved in vaccinating your child, and should children be turned away from school if they do not have vaccinations? There is also the question of should these vaccinations be mandatory or should this solely be a choice that the parents of the child should make? In order for us to be able to take our stance on the subject, we need to examine the answers to the question.

Vaccines change over time as science makes advancements and diseases processes evolve and emerge. Around 400 BC, Hippocrates recognized the now preventable diseases, such as diphtheria and mumps (Immunization Act Coalition, 2015). The first effort to immunize dates back to the 1100’s when children were inoculated with scabs from individuals who recently had small pox, with a technique coined as variolation. Then in 1796, Edward Jenner successfully created the first small pox vaccine (Immunization Act Coalition, 2015).

Childhood immunizations, such as measles, chicken pox, and polio, are mandatory for school-aged youth and

These articles have spurred a controversy about vaccinations and have discouraged parents from them. Reluctance to vaccinate has increased over the past years and has caused parents to neglect the fact that they need to vaccinate their kids. Under-immunization has caused the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases like polio and measles to breakout in schools. Concern for recent outbreaks has lead me to pose the question: Should it be mandatory to vaccinate your kids?

We have all raised our eyebrows when the person sitting the row behind us starts coughing, and not just the “soda went down the wrong pipe” cough, but the real, mucus breaking, uncontrollable hacking. Likewise, many of us have also tried to not get too close to the person with the visibly red, irritated nose and the constant sniffling that comes with the absence of a tissue. As a society, we tend to be conscious of the threat of contracting a disease, but regardless of these common concerns, opposition to mandated vaccinations for school-attending children continue to be raised. The effectiveness and overall safety of vaccines have repeatedly been questioned by society (especially when it comes to vaccinating infants and young children), and some studies have possibly even shown the danger of certain vaccinations. However, upon closer examination, it is clear that vaccines have prevented more disease and have improved the overall health of the United States, and consequently, should—with few exceptions—continue to be mandated in our school system.