Anti-Vaxxers Letting the Monster Free

 
     This cartoon shows that anti-vaccine parents are opening the gates to let the monsters of measles, polio, whooping cough, and others free to terrorize the population. To keep these monsters contained, vaccines are the fence posts and together they create a cage to keep diseases away.
     I really like using cartoons because they are interesting to look at and they make you think. This one in particular really shows what anti-vaxxers are doing, which is setting preventable diseases free.

References:
APA:

Sack, S. (n.d.). Anti-Vaxxers [Cartoon]. Retrieved from http://blogs.denverpost.com/opinion-cartoons/2015/01/29/anti-vaccine-movement-cartoons/44224/

MLA:

Sack, Steve. "Anti-Vaxxers." Star Tribune. Print.

Vaccine Cartoon

    
     For this blog post I didn't read an article, but found a cartoon on anti-vaccine parents. This illustration shows that not vaccinating your children can negatively impact your child by making them sick. It's supposed to be humorous but when it all comes down to it, it shows that this is harmful for your child.
     I like to use other sources rather than just articles because it gives people something visual to look at. It also puts the concept into a joking matter, but one that people can understand.

References:

APA:

Keefe, M. (n.d.). Vaccination [Cartoon]. In Mike Keefe InToon.

MLA:

Keefe, Mike. "Vaccination." Mike Keefe InToon. Web. 2 May 2016.

Come Aboard the Magic School Bus

     I recently watched a little video clip of the magic school bus with anti-vaccine parents aboard.  It was actually pretty funny. The teacher told the parents that their children were not allowed to come to school so she showed them how vaccines work inside of the body. As it was happening "right outside their windows", the parents still voiced their concerns and the teacher let them know that they shouldn't be concerned.
     I probably won't use this video in my research project but it was funny to watch. It made the whole concept seem really simple which is easy for everyone to understand.

References:

APA:

C. (2015). If Anti-Vaccine Parents Rode The Magic School Bus. Retrieved May 02, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDjz5qHIzsc

MLA:

Collegehumor. "If Anti-Vaccine Parents Rode The Magic School Bus." 2015. Web. 02 May 2016.

Child Dies From Vaccination

     Now the title of this post seems like the opposite of what I'm trying to do, but I read an interesting article that stated that a 14-month old baby boy died only a couple days after receiving eight vaccinations. The story goes on to discuss an investigation involving the child's death, leading to the conclusion that the baby received too many vaccines and his body could not handle it due to a weak immune system. The mother wants doctors to take into account a person's medical history and carefully watch how a child responds to vaccines.
     This source can be useful for my research because it shows the negative aspects of vaccinations. It just goes to show that there are good and bad qualities to every thing.

References:
APA:

Paras, T. (2016, February 17). Newborn baby’s death caused by vaccines, experts confirm. Retrieved April 28, 2016, from http://www.newstarget.com/2016-02-17-newborn-babys-death-caused-by-vaccines-experts-confirm.html

MLA:

Paras, Tara. "Newborn Baby’s Death Caused by Vaccines, Experts Confirm." News Target. 17 Feb. 2016. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.

Jimmy Kimmel on Vaccinations

     I watched a clip from Jimmy Kimmel and his take on vaccinations. Being a comedian, he made it into a joking matter sort of making fun of parents who choose not to vaccinate their children. He included real doctors who said what they felt needed to be said, including some language and rude comments. Overall, it was a pretty funny clip but I think his message was a good one - vaccinate your kids!
     I probably won't use this clip in my research project but I liked that celebrities and comedians have a say on this matter. It's good to know that it's an issue known all over the place.

References:
APA:

Jimmy Kimmel Live [Television series episode]. (2015, February 27). In A Message for the Anti-Vaccine Movement. New York: ABC.

MLA:

"Jimmy Kimmel Live." A Message for the Anti-Vaccine Movement. ABC. New York, 27 Feb. 2015. Television.

Vaccines Are Going to Kill Us All?

      I just finished reading a quite hilarious article titled "Big Pharma Admits They're Just Trying to Kill Everybody with Vaccines", and the article was about.. well just that. Apparently Big Pharma, a so-called pharmaceutical industry, announced to the world that the only reason they are giving people vaccinations is to make money to "put on finishing touches on all of [their] mansions" and to kill off a huge chunk of the population. They've fooled us all and have been injecting poison into our bodies, giving us autism, cancer, and leprosy. It makes so much scientific sense.
     In all honesty, I probably won't use this article in my research because it is completely false and fabricated. But it gave me a good laugh. To help any of those confused VACCINES ARE NOT DESIGNED TO KILL OFF THE POPULATION. Thanks.

References:
APA:

The Phunky Looking Kiddo. (2014). Big Pharma Admits They're Just Trying to Kill Everybody with Vaccines | GomerBlog. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://gomerblog.com/2014/09/vaccines/

MLA:

The Phunky Looking Kiddo. "Big Pharma Admits They're Just Trying to Kill Everybody with Vaccines | GomerBlog." GomerBlog. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.

Jenny McCarthy on Vaccinations

     I recently read an interview conducted by Frontline with Jenny McCarthy, an actress whose son was diagnosed with autism. Her name came up quite a few times when I was researching anti-vaccine advocates so I decided to look into her story. She talks about how not too long after her son received the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine, he started showing signs of autism.  She goes on to discuss how vaccines affect your gut, which affects your brain and how we need to help parents learn how to prevent autism. Some of the points she made were interesting but I was frustrated that she had so little faith in physicians and she displayed a very negative attitude towards them, saying they wouldn't listen and sent her away.
     I can use this interview in my research because it provides an opposing view on vaccinations. It's interesting to hear different people's theories and I think it's important to keep an open mind.

References:
APA:

McCarthy, J. (2015, March 23). The Vaccine War [Interview]. Frontline.

MLA:

McCarthy, Jenny. "The Vaccine War." Interview. Frontline 23 Mar. 2015. Print.

Vaccination Links with Autism?

     Many people have probably heard of the notion that vaccinations cause autism. Well who came out and said that in the first place? A doctor by the name of Dr. Andrew Wakefield came out with a study in 1998 claiming that vaccinations have a link with causing autism. He started a epidemic of worry affecting parents all around the world. This recent article that I read in Time Magazine informed the readers that Dr. Wakefield no longer has a medial licence and had to withdraw his research. After much investigation, his research was not accurate and was shown to be false. He displayed dishonesty and irresponsibility when conducting his studies and was conducting them unethically.
     This article will be very useful for my research because many people worry that vaccinations cause autism. It's important for parents to know that this is not accurate.

References:
APA:
Park, A. (2010, May 24). Doctor behind vaccine-autism link loses license | TIME.com. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://healthland.time.com/2010/05/24/doctor-behind-vaccine-autism-link-loses-license/

MLA:

Park, Alice. "Doctor behind Vaccine-autism Link Loses License | TIME.com." 24 May 2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.

An Opposing View

     I read an article from the New York Times suggesting that we should eliminate all personal and religious exemptions for vaccinations. Although I agree with this notion, her article was not very articulate and did not go into very much detail as to how vaccinations work, why they are effective, and she didn’t include any limitations. An angry parent decided to write an article in response to this notion and pointed out some interesting arguments. She pointed out that the eliminating exemptions article did not have enough detail and explained that if the government went through with this, it would be unconstitutional because it goes against our rights which actually made sense to me. She tried to point out that vaccinations are not safe and are not scientifically proven to work (which I disagree with) and also explained that vaccinations disappeared due to society becoming cleaner and public health services increasing.
     This is useful for my research paper because I need to have some opposing opinions so that my argument is not biased.
References:

APA:

Feemster, K. A. (2015, March 5). Eliminate Vaccine Exemptions. Retrieved March 20, 2016.

Heimer, M. (2014, March 27). A Parent’s Response to the New York Times’ Article: Eliminate Vaccine Exemptions. Retrieved March 20, 2016, from http://www.livingwhole.org/a-parents-response-to-the-new-york-times-article-eliminate-vaccine-exemptions/

MLA:
Feemster, Kristen A. "Eliminate Vaccine Exemptions." New York Times. 5 Mar. 2015. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.
Heimer, Megan. "A Parent’s Response to the New York Times’ Article: Eliminate Vaccine Exemptions." Living Whole. 27 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.

What Would Happen if Vaccines Disappeared?

     This article was short and sweet and to the point.  It began with providing background on what life was like before vaccinations were invented.  The author included the following bullet points: (bullet points directly from article)

• Nearly everyone in the U.S. got measles before there was a vaccine, and hundreds died from it each year. Today, most doctors have never seen a case of measles.
• More than 15,000 Americans died from diphtheria in 1921, before there was a vaccine. Only one case of diphtheria has been reported to CDC since 2004.
• An epidemic of rubella (German measles) in 1964-65 infected 12½ million Americans, killed 2,000 babies, and caused 11,000 miscarriages. In 2012, 9 cases of rubella were reported to CDC.

     In addition to this, the author explained the importance of vaccinations in that they don't only protect yourself but others around you as well.  It is also important to recognize that diseases have not disappeared completely and they may very well return if we are not vaccinated.  

     This article is very useful for my historical summary because it provides examples of what happens when a population does not receive inoculations.

References:

APA:

What Would Happen if We Stopped Vaccinations? (2014). Retrieved February 12, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/whatifstop.htm

MLA:

"What Would Happen If We Stopped Vaccinations?" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014. Web. 12 Feb. 2016.

Testimonial of an Unvaccinated Woman

     I absolutely loved reading this article because it gave a very different and personal perspective on the hazard of not receiving vaccinations.  A woman from the UK shares her childhood experiences in effort to show people what really can happen in result to not receiving inoculations.  In one sentence she explains her experience, "I had the healthiest childhood imaginable. And yet I was sick all the time."  She grew up in a family who fed her an amazingly healthy diet: Homegrown foods, vitamins, raw milk, watered down juice, and no sugary, junk food. In addition to this, her parents did not believe in vaccinations and because of this, Amy contracted many diseases: Measles, rubella, mumps, whooping cough, chicken pox, and many more.  Although this particular family lived a very healthy lifestyle, diet and physical activity are not enough to prevent harmful diseases.  She goes on to discuss how being sick all the time changed her as an adult and she did not want her children to go through the same experience.  She allows them to be vaccinated as well as receives flu shots herself in attempt to prevent experiencing the terror and unpleasant illnesses of her childhood. 
     
     This article has value to my project because it adds a more personal dimension to my research. Instead of just boring statistics, this puts the situation into an experience that people can relate to. 

Reference:
APA:
Parker, A. (2014, January 6). Growing Up Unvaccinated. Retrieved February 04, 2016, from http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2014/01/growing_up_unvaccinated_a_healthy_lifestyle_couldn_t_prevent_many_childhood.html

MLA:
Parker, Amy. "Growing Up Unvaccinated." Slate. 6 Jan. 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.

The Low Down on Vaccinations

     This article was very straight forward and provided a lot of research as to why vaccinating your child is so important.  In 2010, 10 children died in California due to a terrible whooping cough outbreak that affected thousands. The article proceeds to discuss how we can steer more people in the right direction when choosing to vaccinate their children.  We hear a lot of negative arguments throughout the media about how harmful vaccinations can be, but we never really hear the scientific-based evidence to how diseases have been prevented due to vaccinations.  Instead of doctors having to worry whether or not they are going to have a big discussion with their patient on vaccinations, patients can be informed before meeting with their doctor and hopefully make a wise decision.

     This article is useful to me because it gives ideas as to how we can help prevent parents from refusing vaccinations. It gives a different look on the topic.

References:
APA:
Daley, M. F., & Glanz, J. M. (2011, September 1). Straight Talk about Vaccination. Retrieved February 02, 2016, from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/straight-talk-about-vaccination/

MLA:
Daley, Matthew F., and Jason M. Glanz. "Straight Talk about Vaccination." Scientific American. 1 Sept. 2011. Web. 02 Feb. 2016.

How can people refuse vaccinations?

 The article I recently read talks about how there are currently three types of refusal, or legal exemption, in the United States concerning vaccination.  The first is accepted among every state and grants students exemptions for medical reasoning. This must be supported by a physician's document and they are very difficult to obtain.  The next type of legal refusal, allowed by forty-eight states, permits religious exemptions. In order to go through with this, a person must hold sincere spiritual beliefs opposing immunizations. The third and most common type of exemption is refusal by philosophical or personal beliefs. Twenty states currently allow personal exemptions which are simply acquired by “checking a box”, stating you do not want your child to be vaccinated.  It seems quite bizarre that although it is required by law to receive vaccinations, parents are still easily allowed to refuse them due to their “personal beliefs”.

   This article is useful for me because it shows how it is possible for people to refuse vaccinations.  Vaccinations are required in all 50 states, but because of these exemptions people can get away with not getting them.

(Wording from previous research proposal written by me)

References:

APA:

Vaccine Law Information - NVIC. (n.d.). Retrieved February 01, 2016, from http://www.nvic.org/vaccine-laws.aspx

MLA:

"Vaccine Law Information - NVIC." National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC). Web. 1 Feb.

2016.

The Danger in Refusing Vaccinations

     I've mentioned a few reasons why it is important to vaccinate, but I did not entirely discuss how it is harmful to not do so.   There are many excuses parents come up with as to why they wish to not vaccinate their child.  Whatever the excuse may be, it does not trump the fact that without immunizations, a child's immune system is more susceptible to disease.  Besides this simple fact, the amount of tests and treatments increase for an unvaccinated child every time they are taken to a hospital or when they become ill.  This can become expensive and be scary for your child.  They also are a harmful risk to others who medically do not have the opportunity to receive vaccinations.  Along with this, there are social implications that can negatively effect an unvaccinated child.  They may have to be isolated from friends, unable to attend school for a period of time, unable to participate in daily activities, and many more unpleasant absences due to being exposed or becoming ill.  Every time a child skips or a parent refuses their vaccinations, they are put at risk.
     The article I based this argument on is also a helpful source for my research project.  Although the source is not very detailed, the general ideas of risk it presents are supportive and informative.

References:
APA:
The Harm of Skipping Vaccinations or Delaying. (2015, June). Retrieved
         January 23, 2016, from http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/immunization/vaccine_safety/harm.htm

MLA: 

"The Harm of Skipping Vaccinations or Delaying." New York State
         Department of Health. June 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.

Why Vaccinate Your Child?

     The debate as to whether or not it is safe to vaccinate your child rises more heavily throughout the years.  But why is it so important that people understand what vaccinations are doing for your child? To put it into simple terms, they can save your child's life.  Now if that phrase isn't enough to steer a parent in the right direction, I don't know what is. Vaccinations have proven to eliminate past deadly diseases and prevent a child from undergoing serious illness.  They are safe and effective and are reviewed by professional physicians. Yes, an injection of a needle is sometimes very uncomfortable and can result in a sore arm or redness, but they are a quick and efficient way to build up your immune system.  Immunization also protects others around you.  Some people unfortunately cannot receive vaccinations such as infants or children due to weak immune systems, so they rely on the public to be vaccinated in order to create a safer environment for them to thrive in.  Vaccinations can save your family money and time as well.  They are often at no cost for low-income families and are much less then the cost and time spent in a hospital trying to treat the illness you could have prevented.  A final reason is that vaccines protect future generations to come.  Past diseases that have killed or severely disabled effected patients no longer have that amount of impact on today's generation.  If we continue to vaccinate our children, the future will hold a very high number of healthy individuals.

     The article I based this argument on has much value to my research project because it helps support my opinion on vaccinations.  I believe it is extremely important that parents vaccinate their children because it will help create a safer, healthier environment for the human race to enjoy their lives in.

Reference:

APA:
Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child. (n.d.). Retrieved January
        23, 2016, from http://www.vaccines.gov/more_info/features/five-
        important-reasons-to-vaccinate-your-child.html
MLA:

"Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child." Five Important Reasons
        to Vaccinate Your Child. Vaccines.gov. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.