Reference no: EM133432376

Case SCENARIO:

Public Health Issue

"Herd Immunity" is one of the primary considerations for mandatory vaccinating in the United States. That is, when a large segment of the population is inoculated against certain infectious diseases, individuals--both vaccinated and unvaccinated--benefit, as well as the community at large. A true mandate for vaccinating all schoolchildren in the United States has not been enacted since World War I. Today, all states allow medical exceptions for children who have HIV, are undergoing organ transplants, are allergic to eggs used in preparing some vaccines, or for other medical reasons. Many states also allow exceptions that allow parents to exempt their children from state vaccination requirements on the basis of religious, philosophical, moral, or other personal beliefs. Recent epidemics of childhood diseases such as measles, mumps, pertussis, and polio in the United States indicate that objections to mandatory vaccinations have increased.

Questions: Please address the following questions:

• In your opinion, does a parent's failure to vaccinate their child constitute a lack of social responsibility? Explain your answer
• Should a person's concern for others take precedence over objections to vaccination on personal or religious grounds? Explain your answer
• Should your role as a healthcare provider include encouraging parents to have their child(ren) vaccinated? Explain your answer
• As a healthcare provider, are you ethically bound to be vaccinated for common contagious diseases? Why or why not?