Many years ago, I was undecided about whether parents should have the right to refuse vaccinations for their children. Today, I believe the answer is no. I am not a medical expert, but what we experienced during COVID-19 reinforced my belief that vaccination is not only about protecting ourselves—it is also about protecting others.
Vaccines do not guarantee complete immunity, but they reduce the risk of serious illness and help slow the spread of disease. When most people are vaccinated, we create a layer of protection for those who cannot be fully protected, including infants, older adults, cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, and people with weakened immune systems.
We do not live in isolation. We share schools, workplaces, stores, sporting events, and public transportation. My mother operated a childcare business when I was growing up, and I saw how quickly an illness could spread. A sick child might arrive after being given Tylenol to hide the symptoms, only to become much sicker a few hours later. By then, other children could already have been exposed. If this can happen with colds and the flu, imagine the consequences with measles, chickenpox, or other highly contagious diseases.
I understand that people can disagree about vaccine mandates and government policies. However, I believe individual rights also come with responsibilities. If someone chooses not to vaccinate, I believe they should consider environments where that choice does not put others at unnecessary risk.
I also understand why some people distrust experts, especially when politics and personal interests influence whom we trust. Experts and institutions should absolutely be questioned. But questioning expertise should not mean automatically rejecting scientific evidence simply because we do not understand it.
Autism has been at the forefront of arguments against vaccines. Claims are that as the number of required vaccines has grown, so has the number of autism cases. Does the evidence really support this? Many are having children later in life, pollution is up, the quality of food and its nutrients are down, and there is poison everywhere we look. Could some of this be a link? Were we not told that Tylenol caused autism and that drinking bleach would cure us of COVID? Should we trust these same so-called experts, with virtually zero training or education in the field, who were appointed because of their political stance, to make decisions about all vaccines?
Ultimately, vaccination is about recognizing that we are part of a community. Our health is connected and protecting one another is a responsibility we all share.
