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Why Immunize?
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.
To read more of this series of articles about immunization
from the National Immunization Program of the CDC, please
click here: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/why.htm
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