Why our children should be vaccinated Vaccines are said to be one of the greatest public health successes in history. They date back to 1796, when Edward Jenner used cowpox material to create immunity to the smallpox disease. (Historyofvaccines.org 2014) Now, more than two hundred years later, they have helped dramatically reduce the incidence of viral diseases in children. For example, ancient childhood diseases such as polio, smallpox, and diphtheria have been completely eradicated or are rarely seen in the United States thanks to vaccines. However, in recent years we have seen a sharp increase in parents choosing not to have their children receive these life-saving vaccinations. This is mainly due to accusations about various side effects and the link between vaccines and autism, which is causing this new trend known to most as the "anti-vaccine movement". (Ashbrook, 2014). One of the major side effects of this movement is the return of old world diseases. We are seeing specific increases in measles and whooping cough, especially in states that have the lowest vaccination rates. (Raja, Mooney 2014) Even though we have evidence of their effectiveness based on scientific research and statistics, there are still parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated, ultimately putting their health and that of others who are not well enough at risk. well or not well. old enough to be vaccinated. It is extremely important to try to reach these people and educate them about why their children should be vaccinated, not only for their health but for the overall health of our communities. One of the best-known reasons why parents choose not to vaccinate their children is the alleged link between vaccines and autism. Fascinating cell......center of the card......personal position. What about children who are not old enough or healthy enough to be vaccinated? Or children who were vaccinated, but the vaccine didn't work on them? These children depend on the immunity of the people around them to maintain their health. In health terms, this is called “herd immunity”. A good example of why herd immunity is important would be the case of a 3-week-old baby from Transylvania County who contracted whooping cough or “whooping cough” last September and died from it. (ncdhhs.gov 2013) This little girl was not old enough to be vaccinated against the disease and was solely dependent on the immunity of those around her to keep her safe. When parents fail to vaccinate their children, they destroy overall immunity within their communities, thus making these unfortunate people who cannot protect themselves more vulnerable...