FREE IMMUNIZATIONS
Why Immunize?
For Parents
Why immunize our children? Sometimes we are confused by the messages in the media. First we are assured that, thanks to vaccines, some diseases are almost gone from the U.S. But we are also warned to immunize our children, ourselves as adults, and the elderly.
Diseases are becoming rare due to vaccinations.
It's true, some diseases (like polio and diphtheria) are becoming very rare in the U.S. Of course, they are becoming rare largely because we have been vaccinating against them. But it is still reasonable to ask whether it's really worthwhile to keep vaccinating.
It's much like bailing out a boat with a slow leak. When we started bailing, the boat was filled with water. But we have been bailing fast and hard, and now it is almost dry. We could say, "Good. The boat is dry now, so we can throw away the bucket and relax." But the leak hasn't stopped. Before long we'd notice a little water seeping in, and soon it might be back up to the same level as when we started.
Keep immunizing until disease is eliminated.
Unless we can "stop the leak" (eliminate the disease), it is important to keep immunizing. Even if there are only a few cases of disease today, if we take away the protection given by vaccination, more and more people will be infected and will spread disease to others. Soon we will undo the progress we have made over the years.
Japan reduced pertussis vaccinations, and an epidemic occurred.
In 1974, Japan had a successful pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination program, with nearly 80% of Japanese children vaccinated. That year only 393 cases of pertussis were reported in the entire country, and there were no deaths from pertussis. But then rumors began to spread that pertussis vaccination was no longer needed and that the vaccine was not safe, and by 1976 only 10% of infants were getting vaccinated. In 1979 Japan suffered a major pertussis epidemic, with more than 13,000 cases of whooping cough and 41 deaths. In 1981 the government began vaccinating with acellular pertussis vaccine, and the number of pertussis cases dropped again.
What if we stopped vaccinating?
So what would happen if we stopped vaccinating here? Diseases that are almost unknown would stage a comeback. Before long we would see epidemics of diseases that are nearly under control today. More children would get sick and more would die.
We vaccinate to protect our future.
We don't vaccinate just to protect our children. We also vaccinate to protect our grandchildren and their grandchildren. With one disease, smallpox, we "stopped the leak" in the boat by eradicating the disease. Our children don't have to get smallpox shots any more because the disease no longer exists. If we keep vaccinating now, parents in the future may be able to trust that diseases like polio and meningitis won't infect, cripple, or kill children. Vaccinations are one of the best ways to put an end to the serious effects of certain diseases.
Additional information- Common Questions Parents Ask about about Infant Immunizations
- A Parent's Guide to Kids' Vaccines
- Parents Who Question vaccines
- Vaccines: A Safe Choice
- The Importance of Childhood Immunizations
- Vaccinate Your Baby
News and information for parents who wish to learn the truth about immunization and how best to protect their children from vaccine-preventable diseases. - Benefits of vaccinating
National Institutes of Health - What Would Happen If We Stopped Vaccinations?
- Some Common Misconceptions About Vaccination
(for the provider) - Risks of Not Vaccinating
- Why do pre-teens and adolescents need immunizations?
Introductory Immunization Information
- Why immunize?
- Brief overview of vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccines
- How vaccines prevent disease
- 10 things you need to know about immunizations
How many doses your child needs, diseases vaccines prevent, etc. - How vaccines work
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Excerpt from Parent's Guide to Immunizations - How immunity works: types of immunity
- Common questions
- What would happen if we stopped vaccinations?
- Life-cycle of immunizations
Consult this page to see how if enough people stop getting immunized, disease numbers will start to rise again, and there will be outbreaks. The chart tracks the evolution of a single disease, from a time when there was no vaccine to when the disease is eradicated.
- The Parents' Guide to Childhood Immunizations
68-page booklet introducing parents to all childhood diseases and the vaccines that can protect children from them - A Parent's Guide to Kids' Vaccines
FDA guide explaining to parents the risks and benefits of common kids' vaccines - Which vaccines do pre-teens/adolescents need?
- Ingredients of Vaccines - Fact Sheet
- Report a suspected side effect (VAERS)
Common Immunization Questions
For Parents
- How vaccines work
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Excerpt from Parent's Guide to Immunizations - What are the differences among active, passive, and herd immunity?
- What are the risks of not vaccinating?
- What are some of the common misconceptions about vaccinating?
- What do you need to know about immunizations?
- What are the common questions parents ask about infant immunizations?
- Which vaccines do pre-teens/ adolescents need?
- What would happen if we stopped immunizations?
- Who is eligible for free vaccines?
(Vaccines for Children program) - Whom do I contact if my question isn't answered here?
- Should I believe info I read on the web?
Evaluating Information on the Web - Why immunize?
- What about the safety of vaccines?
- What ingredients and additives are found in vaccines?
- What are the possible side-effects from vaccines?
- How do vaccines prevent disease?
Previously titled "How Do Vaccines Work?
