Pros and Cons of Vaccinating Kids
** DISCLAIMER ** We are not medical experts, be sure to refer to reliable sources for more data.
Currently, one of the biggest debates is whether kids should be vaccinated. To date, the COVID-19 vaccine has not been approved for kids under 12 years of age. Nobody is required to get the vaccine, but do the pros outweigh the cons? Or is it the other way around?
First off, these are the general pros and cons of children getting vaccinated.
Pro:
Many studies show that vaccines do actually work to prevent a person from getting a certain virus or disease. It has various benefits, but the most important and most obvious, it saves lives. It not only keeps the child safe, but it also keeps parents, and grandparents around them safe as well.
Con:
A con to getting vaccinated is that you can still get sick if you are not careful. Many people will think that they are 100% protected by a vaccine, but this is not true. According to Yale Medicine, COVID vaccines have around 90% effectiveness.
Most people will argue that the entire point of vaccines is to save lives, but there are also many risks if looked at from another point of view. Vaccines can also cause mild to serious(in rare cases) side effects. Here are the pros and cons of this argument.
Pro:
Vaccines can save many lives. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that “most childhood vaccines are 90%-99% effective in preventing disease.” So, not only will kids have less chance of getting a disease, people around them will be safer as well.
Con:
Vaccines can cause serious occasionally, fatal side effects. According to the CDC, all vaccines carry a risk of allergies, sometimes life-threatening. Although the chances are about one in a million, it may not be worth the risk.
Are harmful ingredients used in vaccines? The first thing to look at is always safety.
Pro:
Some ingredients, such as thimerosal, formaldehyde, and aluminum, can be harmful in large doses but they are not used in harmful quantities in vaccines.
But does this mean that there is absolutely no risk? No, it doesn’t
Con:
Some vaccines contain aluminum, and excess aluminum in human bodies can cause neurological harm. Another ingredient often found in vaccines, formaldehyde, is a carcinogen, and, according to VaxTruth.org, exposure can cause side effects such as cardiac impairment, and central nervous system depression.
These are only some of the different chemicals used in vaccines that could be harmful to the human body, not even only for children.
These are only some of the different chemicals used in vaccines that could be harmful to the human body, not even only for children.
My opinionon this topic is that the pros overweigh the cons. First, we can see the effects of the vaccine on the world (or in America, at least). Cases of the coronavirus have decreased steadily since vaccines started being given out. So this must mean something: that it works! Next, my personal experience. I got my first dose around 2 months ago and my second dose around 1 month ago. For my first dose, I had little to no side effects. I expected the same for my second dose, but it was not the same. I stayed in bed for a day, with a headache. I just felt tired and couldn’t get up the whole day. Even though I had one sick day, whenever I go out, I feel so much safer and more protected knowing that I am vaccinated.
Picture links:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/why-covid-19-cases-are-falling-so-fast/618041/
