SHOULD VACCINES BE COMPULSORY?

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1 The Big Debate SHOULD VACCINES BE COMPULSORY? Friday 02 March 2018 SHOULD VACCINES BE COMPULSORY? THE DILEMMA A change in French law means that all parents must now vaccinate children born on 1 January 2018 or later. A total of 11 diseases will be vaccinated against by 10 injections spread over two years. Prior to the new law, only three childhood vaccines, for diphtheria, tetanus and polio, were compulsory in France. Another eight, including those against hepatitis, mumps and whooping cough, were only recommended. Illnesses such as measles, rubella (also known as German measles) and polio can be extremely serious. In rare cases, they can lead to death. The more vaccines that are given, the lower the chance of a disease outbreak. Right now, Europe is experiencing a spread of measles due to a drop in vaccine uptake. In 2017, there were more than 21,000 cases and 35 deaths a big increase on the year before, when there was a record low of 5,273 cases. One in four countries in Europe have major outbreaks. Last year, the French government decided to take action. The Prime Minister at the time, Édouard Philippe, said it was unacceptable that children are still dying of measles. The decision followed a similar policy change in 2017 by the Italian government, who made it compulsory for children up to 16 to have 12 vaccines. But what happens if parents break the new law and don t get their kids vaccinated? According to a spokesperson for the French Health Ministry, if parents refuse the mandatory [compulsory] vaccines, the main consequence will be that their children would not be accepted in schools, nurseries, etc. A similar scheme is in place in the USA. In Italy, the parents of children who have not been vaccinated will be fined. A French protest against compulsory vaccines. One of the signs reads My body, my choice In the UK, vaccines are not compulsory, but parents are strongly encouraged to give their children the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Vaccines are not just for kids; elderly people and those with certain health problems are encouraged but not forced to be immunised against flu, pneumonia and other serious diseases. Is it right that people should be made to have vaccines to prevent diseases? Or should it be a personal choice for each individual? Protestors against compulsory vaccines in Italy

2 WHAT S A VACCINE? A vaccine is a safe substance that contains a tiny amount of a virus or bacteria in a form that is not harmful. The substance is given to a person (or an animal) to prevent them from getting the disease that the virus or bacteria causes. Serious side effects are very rare. The vaccine makes our body produce something called antibodies, which fight the disease without actually infecting us with the disease. If the vaccinated person then comes into contact with the illness, their immune system (the body s defence mechanism) will recognise it and immediately produce the antibodies needed to fight it. When a person has been vaccinated, they are immune. Being immune means a person is protected against a particular disease. So if you are vaccinated against measles, it is very unlikely you will catch it. Some vaccines, however, do not protect against all the different strains of an illness. The flu vaccine (also known as the flu jab) protects a person against certain types of the flu virus, but not all of them. In December 2017, it was reported that fewer than half of the 21 million people in the UK eligible for a flu jab this winter had received one FACTS & FIGURES In 2016, there were 89,780 measles deaths globally. It was the first year measles deaths fell below 100,000 per year Measles vaccination has resulted in an 84% drop in measles deaths worldwide between 2000 and 2016 Between the start of 2008 and the end of 2016, more than 24,000 cases of measles were declared in France. Of these, 1,500 had serious complications and there were 10 deaths A recent survey found that 41% of people in France think vaccines are unsafe. Just 52% think the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks Every year, around 24,000 children in England are not vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella 2 children and 1 adult in the UK have died of measles since 2006 There were 547 measles infections in England and Wales in 2016, up from 91 the year before. There were 571 cases of mumps, down from 798 in 2015, and there were just 2 cases of rubella, down from 5 in 2015 In 2017, there were large measles outbreaks in 15 of the 53 countries in Europe. Romania had the most cases (5,562)

3 THE UK APPROACH In Britain, no vaccine is compulsory. In 1988, the MMR vaccine was introduced on the National Health Service (NHS) as a single injection for babies, usually within a month of their first birthday. They then have a second injection of the vaccine before starting school, usually when they are 3 years 4 months old. The injections are placed into the thigh or upper arm. MMR stands for measles, mumps and rubella three highly infectious viruses. They aren t usually serious in children, but they do cause rashes, fevers and lead to days off school. Other vaccines available on the NHS include the annual winter flu jab, which is offered for free to: Everybody aged 65 or over Pregnant women People with certain medical conditions, such as asthma and HIV People who care for an elderly or disabled person All medical staff Children over the age of 6 months with a long-term health condition Children aged 2 and 3 on 31 August of any given year Children in reception class and school years 1, 2, 3 and 4 A vaccine for pneumonia, a serious lung infection, is offered for free to babies, people aged 65+, and those with long-term health conditions. Bottles of the MMR vaccine

4 DANGEROUS DISEASES Vaccines are given against some of the nastiest diseases, which can, in rare cases, be deadly. These are some of the conditions that the new compulsory French and Italian vaccine programmes will protect against: MEASLES A highly contagious disease caused by a virus that is normally passed through direct contact or through the air. The virus infects the nose, throat and lungs, then spreads throughout the body. Before the introduction of a measles vaccine in 1963, major outbreaks occurred approximately every 2-3 years and measles caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths worldwide each year. The disease remains one of the leading causes of death among young children globally. Approximately 89,780 people died from measles in 2016 mostly children under the age of 5. CHICKENPOX Also known as varicella, this is a highly contagious disease that most children in Britain will have caught by the age of 10. The main symptoms are a very itchy rash, fever and generally feeling unwell. An individual is contagious until the last spot has crusted over. In an adult, chickenpox is more serious. There are usually more symptoms, including headaches, joint pain and extreme tiredness. It can also become pneumonia. It s highly unusual to die from chickenpox, but 6-7,000 people are killed by the disease worldwide every year. A vaccine has been available since 1984, but most countries including the UK do not give it to children. Those that do include Japan, USA, Germany, Brazil, Australia and Italy. MUMPS This is an infection caused by a virus that is spread between humans through direct contact, or by droplets in the air. The first symptoms include headache and fever, followed within a day by major swelling of glands in the neck and around the jaw. Mumps mostly affects children aged between five and nine years old. It is a mild disease in children, but if an adult gets mumps, it can be very bad. Possible complications include a very serious infection called meningitis and deafness.

5 ANTI-VAXXERS Some people believe vaccines do more harm than good, and refuse to accept them. They are known as anti-vaxxers ( vax being short for vaccine ). Although vaccines are safe and help stop the spread of dangerous diseases, some people do not accept the scientific evidence. A lot of fake stories about invented dangers of vaccines are spread on social media. This partly explains why 41% of French people think they are unsafe. A study showed that there are more anti-vaxxers in Europe than anywhere else in the world. Anti-vaccine ideas are not new. They can be traced back to the 1800s, when the first vaccines for a horrible disease called smallpox were distributed in areas of poverty. Anti-vaccine critics thought it was a plot to poison the poor. During a polio vaccination campaign in Nigeria in 2003, false rumours spread that the vaccine had been deliberately spiked with drugs to prevent pregnancies and the HIV virus. Polio then spread to all of Nigeria s neighbours in 2004 countries that had previously been free of the disease. Nigeria is now one of only three countries in the world to still contain polio. THE MMR SCANDAL One of the most well-known anti-vaccination incidents was the campaign against the MMR vaccine in the UK, which began in the late 1990s. In 1998, a study by a doctor called Andrew Wakefield claimed there was a link between the MMR vaccine and autism (a condition that affects behaviour and communication). The report was published in The Lancet, a respected medical journal. A lot of people believed Dr Wakefield, leading to a sharp decline in the number of parents getting their kids vaccinated. Before the study was published, 90% of children received the MMR Andrew Wakefield (centre), with anti-mmr supporters in 2007 vaccine. Afterwards, the number dropped to below 80%, and even as low as 50% in London. This fall contributed to hundreds of extra cases of measles in the UK. Dr Wakefield s study was later found to be completely wrong, as he had used false data. He was struck off in the UK, which means he is no longer allowed to work here as a doctor. Several studies since 1998 have shown no link whatsoever between MMR and autism. A PARENT S CHOICE Who knows what is best for a child: the Government and health experts or the parent? Perhaps they both have a good idea, but should it be up to the authorities to insist a child has a vaccine or should the decision be down to Mum or Dad? The debate about compulsory vaccination is also a debate about who is ultimately in control. Some people feel that no health treatment should be compulsory, even if it is obviously in an individual s best interests. They argue that what happens to an adult s body should be up to the adult, and what happens to a child s body should be up to the parent. The health authorities, they say, cannot force something upon their kid. Currently, UK law says that a parent is responsible for medical decisions regarding their child until they turn 18.

6 YES, VACCINES SHOULD BE COMPULSORY NO, VACCINES SHOULD NOT BE COMPULSORY 1. IT S THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT DISEASE Vaccines for children and adults who are at risk should be compulsory, because it s the best way of reducing the risk of serious illnesses spreading throughout the country. It s selfish to refuse a vaccine. 2. IT SAVES MONEY IN THE LONG RUN Prevention is usually cheaper than cure. Stopping a person from getting illnesses such as measles, pneumonia, polio or rubella is cheaper than treating those illnesses later. 3. OUTBREAKS ARE ON THE RISE Europe is in the middle of an outbreak of measles, while the UK has reported more flu cases this winter than at any time since 2010/11. To counter these dangerous outbreaks it is essential people get vaccinated. 1. PERSONAL CHOICE IS ESSENTIAL It s not right to force people into having injections. Every adult should be allowed to come to their own decision for themselves and their child not be lectured by the Government and health authorities. 2. IT S IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE If a parent refuses to have their child vaccinated, what kind of punishment could realistically be given? It would be cruel to ban the child from school or nursery. Fining people who may not be able to afford to pay is unfair. This would be an impossible law to enforce. 3. IT COULD MAKE PEOPLE TRUST DOCTORS LESS The way to ensure the public trusts doctors and scientists is to explain to them the safety of vaccines and let them decide what to do. By making vaccines compulsory, we risk angering parents and creating a backlash against the medical profession.

7 Why are vaccines important? Why do you think some people don t want vaccines? What could happen if vaccine rates drop, as they did after the British MMR scandal in 1998? Have vaccines reduced sickness and death since their introduction? Do you think people are likely to believe fake science stories about vaccines if they read them on social media? Would you be OK with having a vaccine today? If not, why not? Do you know which vaccines you have had? Do you trust everything a doctor or nurse tells you? If not, why not? Should vaccines be compulsory?