Vaccinations- Should people vaccinate?

Should we require vaccinations? This is a such a common debate that many people have different views and opinions on.

In the KQED article they brought up a recent outbreak of the measles in Anaheim California. Although there is no cure for the measles the vaccination is very effective and has led to a 99% reduction in measles cases. This outbreak showed that although the vaccination is available in the US many parents do not vaccinate their children. Some parents do not believe in vaccination because of religious reason or beliefs that vaccinations are not healthy. Below is a map on the stats of people who have had measles vaccinations.

Personally, I have always been vaccinated and believe in vaccinations. Vaccinations are helpful because not only are they safe, but also very effective in protecting from disease. Preventing disease is very important because although measles was not very present once the outbreak happened, the measles spread rapidly to all of those who are unvaccinated.

This is my view on getting vaccinations but there are many people who do not believe in them. From that point of view people believe they are not effective or safe. I  further looked into the reason why some people do not vaccinate and found an interesting article about why a doctor, Dr. Kurt, does not vaccinate his child. Click here to read more.

Overall I believe that we should vaccinate. This helps prevent disease and helps people remain in good health. What do you think?

Photos from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox

The Common Cold

Cold season is back again! Every year millions of Americans catch the cold and on an average of 2-3 times! The cold can actually be very serious for young children and the elderly.

A runny nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat or a headache is not enjoyable so  would you take certain measures to prevent it? Besides washing your hands and not sharing drink there are other ways to prevent the cold: a medical mask. A lot of people believe in wearing masks to prevent those who are sick from spreading the cold while in public. This is a good idea to prevent germs from spreading, but not very realistic. Many people would not wear the mask so this would not completely prevent the spread of the cold. I think it is a good idea, but personally when I see people wearing a medical mask I always am a little thrown off. I think this is a smart way to prevent it but hard to encourage people to do so. This should be a decision made by the person who is sick.

There are many ways to prevent the cold so stay healthy!

Works cited

Pictures:

“Defying Lupus.” Defying Lupus. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2015.

“Smiles ‘n’ Snuggles.” Smiles ‘n’ Snuggles. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2015.

Websites:

“10 Tips to Prevent the Common Cold by MedicineNet.com.” MedicineNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2015.

“Should Cold Sufferers Wear Medical Masks?” KQED Education KQED Public Media for Northern CA. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2015.