With the recent case of mumps on campus and surrounding controversies regarding getting vaccinated, one wonders, “To what extent does refusing to be vaccinated put other people in harm’s way?”

What justifies someone not getting vaccinated?

Should getting vaccinated be the law?

Well, a deeper look into the highly ostracized publicity around those who don’t get vaccinated has led me to conclude that getting vaccinated would be better than getting any illness such as mumps, chicken pox, measles or yellow fever. When it comes to being in college I barely schedule time for myself, let alone trying to schedule in time to be sick.

So that raises the question: why would someone not get a shot that could prevent them from getting such illnesses?

Well parents argue that they don’t want to overwhelm their babies with too many shots when they are so young.

But how young is too young?

Do you wait until your baby already has the chicken pox and could possibly spread it to others who have yet to get there shot?

In reality vaccinations prevent spreading of illnesses.  So what if the child cries for a bit because the shot hurt? If the long-term effects will be much greater if the child receives the shot.

Then there are parents who say forcing them to vaccinate their children is a violation of their rights.

What about their children’s rights though?

In many ways parents, who don’t vaccinate their children could potentially put their child in the position of getting sick and that borderlines on neglect.

Yes, I said it. Neglect.

It is the parent’s responsibility to make sure that child is cared for properly and receives correct medical care and while they have the ultimate power over that child, they should be concerned for the child’s wellbeing.

There are parents who argue that these vaccines are filled with toxins or that they lead to autism. Would you rather have a constantly sick child or one who is autistic and what does that say about our society towards autistic people? A child is a child and we are supposed to love them no matter what. We are supposed to care for them. Yet, it seems that society has turned its back to the very things that are here to help.

The biggest disappointment though still remains that later on when these children are no longer children and they have busy lives, being sick will cause a lot more than what is happening in their body. They lose class days, they miss work and they miss seeing people and having experiences.

There was a student on campus who was sent home because he or she has mumps. Being forced to leave campus for fear of spreading the illness further really sucks.