Science has provided ample evidence that childhood vaccines are safe and effective, and public health authorities maintain that vaccines are as important as seat belts in protecting our children. Even President Obama has urged parents to have their kids vaccinated.
So how can it be that many parents opt against having their children vaccinated–even in the face of the measles outbreak that has sickened more than 102 people in 14 states?
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Bad argument #6: “Natural” immunity is better than the immunity that comes from vaccination. So-called “natural” immunity results from the body contracting and successfully battling an infectious illness–and research shows that the immune response of people who have been vaccinated against various diseases is just as good as that of people whose immunity comes from an infection. But of course, vaccine-acquired immunity is preferable because
Seth Mnookin, HuffPost blogger and author of “The Panic Virus,” contributed to this article.
