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Vaccine-Preventable Disease
Imagine being a five-year-old ready, willing, and excited to attend kindergarten in the
coming school year yet being denied admission solely because they have not been vaccinated.
The issue is that you do not believe in vaccinations because you fear long-term side effects like
autism or even the fact that you realize that vaccination is not an exclusive remedy and that the
problem may reoccur. What do you say to your five-year-old, and how do you handle this
problem? It is already known that many public, private, or charter schools within the United
States only accept child enrollment with vaccination confirmation from communicable diseases
such as measles, mumps, and rubella. Although history has shown that these health scares can
resurface, they tend to resurface in different forms for which new vaccines must be created. The
fact is that communicable diseases and health outbreaks are horrifying experiences across the
globe. When one person becomes sick from a contagious virus, there is a strong possibility for
spread. The purpose of getting vaccinated is to reduce or slow down the spread. Kubin (2019)
presents some strong points in the article titled Is There a Resurgence of Vaccine-Preventable
Disease in the U.S. Children enrolled in kindergarten reach compliance rates with the
recommended vaccine of 93-95% (Kubin, 2019). This article mainly discusses influencing
factors leading to outbreaks, changes in vaccination practices, and how nurses can best intervene
( Kubin, 2019).
According to Kubin, the number of children getting vaccinated is greater than 90%.
Vaccination is recommended at certain ages, from the time of birth well into the teen years. This
is monitored and tracked by the CDC. They monitor vaccine compliance, vaccine completion,
and under-vaccination rates. According to Kubin (2019), Vaccine compliance is defined as the
proportion of children who receive each dose during the recommended age ( Kubin, 2019).
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There are a series of immunizations that are recommended until completion. Vaccine
completion accumulates the required number of Advisory Committee on Immunization (ACIP)
recommended doses by a specific age, regardless of the time vaccine was received (Kubin,
2019). Under Vaccination is the total number of days a vaccine is delayed beyond the
recommended age (Kubin, 2019).
At the same time, vaccines were created to reduce the spread of harmful communicable
diseases from one person to another. Kubin (2016) clarifies that vaccines are not an exclusive
remedy but work as a preventative. Kubin (2016) notes that immunizations are safe and effective
means of promoting health and preventing disease ( Kubin, 2016). Although researchers claim
that vaccines are safe, there is an ongoing concern over that resurfacing, such as age-old measles,
mumps, and pertussis. Researchers claim that most cases of measles that resurfaced affected
those who were unvaccinated. In the case of Pertussis, research determined that this virus
resurfaced between 24 and 45 % of unvaccinated people from the 1970s to 2015. While two
more significant outbreaks in 2015 resulted in deaths that affected children between the ages of 7
to 10 who were previously vaccinated ( Kubin, 2019). Mumps saw its largest outbreak in 20 yrs
in 2006. The mumps vaccine was found to be 88% effective, and by this time, researchers began
to question whether these outbreaks resulted from a new strain of mumps virus warning
immunity (Kubin, 2019). The bottom line is that vaccines are not an exclusive remedy. It is a
temporary fix that prevents mass losses while scientific research continues. It is clear why
parents refuse to vaccinate or fail to complete the series of vaccination recommended. This is
owed partly to the data that has been seen in this article that vaccine-preventable diseases have
resurfaced despite immunizing. It raises an even bigger question as to whether or not vaccines
are necessary or if they are safe. An educational component is necessary when deciding whether
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to vaccinate or not. Kubin (2019) research found that parents expressed the need for additional
information before deciding to vaccinate (Kubin, 2019). Kubin (2019) found that approximately
one-third of parents surveyed did not have access to sufficient information. People rely heavily
on the opinions of their health providers; therefore, the more information doctors and nurse
professionals provide may result in more significant consideration for recommended vaccination.
On the other hand, many pro-vaccine providers pressure parents to entertain rather than focus on
providing pro-vaccine education as to its benefits. Pressuring parents who are hesitant and still
have questions can be counter-productive and could lead to vaccine refusal; therefore, active
listening and building trust are essential (Kubin, 2019). This is where nursing practices can apply
their training and expertise by working with families on vaccinations. When a healthcare
professional empathizes with a family and confidently explains the pros and cons of
immunization, the chances of compliance may increase. The more information becomes
available, the better to understand that immunizations are a safe, successful, and cost-effective
method of promoting health and preventing disease (Kubin, 2019).
The pressure was placed on so many families across the globe to vaccinate against
COVID-19. Many people flocked to receive the injection and later dealt with other health
concerns, while others opted to utilize religious exemptions. While the vaccine did not stop the
surge of exposure, it did help weaken the spread in those with more robust immune systems.
Many people prefer to opt out of immunization. Exemptions, however, vary from state to
state. According to the research from (States with Religious and Philosophical Exemptions from
School Immunization Requirements, n.d.), almost all 50 states have legislation requiring specific
vaccines for students. All school immunization laws grant exemptions to children for medical
reasons. Research additionally determined that 44 states and Washington D.C. grant religious
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exemptions for people with religious objections. Also, 15 states allow philosophical exemptions
for children whose parents object to immunizations for personal, moral, or other beliefs.
California and the District of Columbia require children to receive FDA-approved COVID-19
vaccines for school entry in 2022 (States with Religious and Philosophical Exemptions from
School Immunization Requirements, n.d.). Minnesota and Louisiana do not recognize religion as a
reason for claiming an exemption. In Virginia, parents can receive a personal exemption for the HPV vaccine
only (States with Religious and Philosophical Exemptions from School Immunization
Requirements, n.d.). Vaccination should be a matter of personal choice, not fear or demand
across the globe. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says do you not know that your bodies are temples of the
Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own (1
Corinthians 6 KJV - - Bible Gateway, n.d.).
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References
1 Corinthians 6 KJV - - Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Www.biblegateway.com.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%206&version=KJV
Kubin, L. (2019). Is There a Resurgence of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in the U.S.? Journal of
Pediatric Nursing, 44, 115–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2018.11.011
States With Religious and Philosophical Exemptions From School Immunization Requirements.
Retrieved 4/15/2023 (n.d.). Www.ncsl.org. https://www.ncsl.org/health/states-with-
religious-and-philosophical-exemptions-from-school-immunization-requirements
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