Number 1 post: MS

The topic of vaccination is one of the most controversial topics in healthcare today. The term "vaccine hesitancy" is used to describe those who have reservations of vaccinations and either delay acceptance or decline altogether. Vaccines are irrefutably one of our most powerful tools against contagions, eradicating diseases that once plagued the population. However, somewhere along the way politics got intertwined with vaccinations, most notably the COVID-19 vaccine, and has led to roughly half the population exhibiting vaccine hesitancy. This hesitancy can be due to complacency, inconvenience, and an overall distrust of the system. Studies have shown that the interventions used to reason with patients should be specific to their reason for non-vaccination (Betsch, Bohm, & Chapman, 2015). For instance, the complacent should be motivated, and any obvious barriers for those with reason of inconvenience should be removed.

Parents are also becoming more reluctant to vaccinate their children, and are frequently educated with misinformation lacking evidence-based research. This misinformation scares the parents into thinking they are inadvertently poisoning their children and has led to the decline in vaccinated children (Romijnders et al., 2019).

As a healthcare provider, it is important to discuss all concerns with your patient and listen to them thoroughly to address any skepticism. These patients should be presented with evidence based research and then explained in layman's terms. I would personally stay away from information provided by the CDC due to the political mistrust at this time and instead provide trials with double-blind groups and present the facts of side effects versus placebos. At the end of the day it is our job as healthcare providers to present all of the information available to us and discuss it in a way that the patient can understand and allow them to make an informed decision. It is important to be respectful of the decision they come to regardless if it aligns with our personal beliefs regarding vaccine safety.

Number 2 Post: OT

Vaccinations are crucial for an infant throughout his life span. Vaccinations keep humans healthy from all of the diseases in the world that can be deadly or crippling. On-time vaccinations throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases (CDC.gov, 2019). Vaccines are safe for humans and have been rigorously tested before use. They are safe for all the ages that they are given for. Vaccines help to prevent and eradicate deadly diseases.

Newborns, infants, and children do not have a well-developed immune system. Vaccines are available to work with the child’s immune system and this helps them develop immunity to many deadly and harmful diseases. Vaccine ingredients are proven to be safe and are not harmful. NO scientific study has found a link between autism and vaccine ingredients. Extensive lab testing is done to ensure the vaccine is safe. The FDA oversees all lab testing to make sure that it is safe. Once a vaccine is licensed, FDA, CDC, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other federal agencies routinely monitor its use and investigate any potential safety concerns (CDC.gov, 2019). Severe, long lasting side effects are extremely rare (CDC.gov, 2019).

There are no cons with vaccinations. Misinformation can lead to misunderstanding and distrust of vaccines. If a patient inquires about the safety of vaccines, I will guide them to the CDC website for vaccines. The CDC website has a lot of good information that is easy to understand. I would also review and guide them about vaccine safety information that is provided by the CDC. I would also ask them what concerns they have. I would also ask them where they get their information. I would investigate the source of their information and explain to them how it is not relevant, or evidence based. Oftentimes I hear from my patients that they heard this information from a neighbor.

They also get their information from websites that are not peer reviewed and are not scientific and evidence based. They also get their information from social media pages that are run by people who are not in the medical industry and are not researchers. Their information and lies are based on opinions and conspiracy theories. I would guide my patients to look at the right information and get their information from medical providers and proper online resources.

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