Introduction
A hot topic at the moment is the use of vaccines to combat disease. Some are convinced of their effectiveness, while others believe that vaccines lead to disability. Arguments on both sides are not always valid and credible, making many anxious. According to Dzubay (2017), refusing to vaccinate is not valid because by doing so, people shift responsibility for their health without seeking to maintain it. Vaccination is direct responsibility because a person can manage their health.
Summary of Essay
An outbreak of the irrational reflects Dzubay Sarah’s position on why society refuses to vaccinate. She begins by discussing the measles outbreaks that are increasingly appearing in the United States because people refuse to vaccinate. Dzubay attributes the refusal to the fear that arises from the inability to fully predict the reaction to vaccination (2017). This is a valid argument, but Dzubay emphasizes that the risk of refusal is several times higher. She believes that the irrationality of such behavior poses a threat to society.
Dzubay discusses the necessity of vaccination, including collective immunity that protects against diseases of persons contraindicated by vaccination. She points out that unwarranted denial decreases this protection, and society is again at risk (Dzubay, 2017). Dzubay discusses the reasons why refusal occurs: appealing to autism and seizures as results of the vaccine. She debunks these myths, arguing that these manifestations are caused by factors other than the vaccine.
Dzubay concludes the essay by identifying political and ethical reasons for opposing vaccination. The author suggests that income is essential in choosing to vaccinate but points out that education does not have a positive effect (Dzubay, 2017). Dzubay focuses on the role of the individual in society, pointing out that collective action to stay healthy is a direct obligation, not a choice. She concludes by suggesting that everyone is an advocate for national security and that vaccination is part of the job.
Purpose and Evidence Used in Essay
Dzubay has created a rather extensive and varied essay that identifies the nature of the controversy in choosing to vaccinate or not. Dzubay’s paper aims to make a case for vaccination as a human duty to society and the nation’s health (2017). Dzubay uses data from the 2015 measles outbreak in California, during which the U.S. population was significantly affected. She cites biological data on the effectiveness of collective immunity, appealing to the need to develop it. Dzubay uses the argument of financial and educational privilege to support her position (2017). She cites an article debunking the main arguments against vaccines – autism. Dzubay cites the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which agrees with the presence of seizures in vaccinated children but points out that it is a symptom of the disease, not the vaccine. She closes with an argument about vaccinations’ lack of economic benefit (Dzubay, 2017). She cites government regulation and subsidies as evidence.
Writing Strategy and Reasons
Dzubay uses writing strategy in the form of a strong hook at the beginning of the paragraph and gradual development of the direction of thought to achieve effective communication of thought. At the beginning of the essay, Dzubay writes that Disneyland, which is “the happiest place on earth,” led to the measles outbreak (2017). This intriguing clue awakens the reader’s desire to learn further and draw his or her own conclusions. As this thought develops, Dzubay concentrates on unwinding the story and gradually delving into the topic. In all subsequent paragraphs, Dzubay uses constructions such as “one of” and “another,” which are new turns in her position (2017). As a result, the reader is immersed in the work, learning about the event from different angles. Due to the sensitivity of Dzubay’s essay topic, this is an effective writing strategy because it can catch readers’ minds and help them to learn something new about the topic.
Response to Essay and Topic
Dzubay’s position is appropriate and correct from my point of view because it points out the main consequence of vaccination – the creation of collective immunity. In the face of coronavirus restrictions, the vaccine utility topic remains relevant, and Dzubay’s work is a good source of knowledge. Her work communicates the message quite effectively and clearly, but there may be doubts due to the lack of evidence in scientific clinical trials. I cannot entirely agree with the view that high-income levels lead to a lack of confidence in vaccinations. This will be more prevalent among the poor and uneducated because society cannot learn about the topic (Allen et al., 2021). The essay does not fully reveal the reasons for vaccination because social responsibility in the community is relatively low. For my part, I agree with Dzubay’s position on the necessity of vaccination because it is the only way to control the disease.
I want to point out a critical aspect of vaccination – the resources spent on assistance. Having collective immunity and protection against infection allows health care to spend finances and medical resources on weak health areas and support complex diseases (Allen et al., 2021). Brown points out that vaccination will work if parents, their loved ones, and society take responsibility for protection (2016). Fading collective immunity will lead to increased diseases such as chickenpox, measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis, and other dangerous infections. Infections will create an additional burden for those with chronic illnesses, and the overall quality of services and the ability to perform them will fall. Consequently, society will no longer be protected, and the quality of life will decline.
The Audience, a Possible Objection, and Counterargument
Vaccination is associated with the whole society, and public health is working on prevention and education to get the message about the need for vaccination. The target audience is the uneducated and poor, among whom the prevalence of infection is usually higher (Allen et al., 2021). The audience will tend to object because of concerns about children and the fact that they may develop autism or degenerative diseases. In addition, the public may be overly paranoid and believe that there is surveillance through vaccination and, as a result, object to compulsory vaccination. The main argument of such an audience is that they cannot be sure that the vaccination will not negatively affect them. In addition, they usually do not believe there are procedures for testing vaccines.
The best way to counter this position is to educate because this gap stems from ignorance. In particular, it is worth introducing the practice of introducing medical education and a simple step-by-step explanation of the effectiveness of vaccines. A good solution would be to take apart the formulations to ensure there are no chips or tracking, to show statistics, and to demonstrate the manufacture of vaccines (Brown, 2016). I believe this will reduce the prevalence of anti-vaccination activists and bring collective immunity back to a high level.
Conclusion
Dzubay’s essay forms a simple idea that the nation’s health lies in society’s hands, and vaccination is a direct opportunity to achieve a high quality of life. Its effectiveness lies in using hooks and simple language to convey the message. For my part, I want to point out that vaccination is an opportunity for the intelligent management of health resources. The promise of this topic lies in developing prevention activities and educational conferences to promote the usefulness of vaccination. The audience, the whole society, must gradually understand the necessity of vaccination and keep this knowledge.
References
Allen, J. D., Feng, W., Corlin, L., Porteny, T., Acevedo, A., Schildkraut, D., King, E., Ladin, K., Fu, Q., & Stopka, T. J. (2021). Why are some people reluctant to be vaccinated for COVID-19? A cross-sectional survey among U.S. Adults in May-June 2020. Preventive medicine reports, 24.
Brown, A. (2016). Clear answers and smart advice about your baby’s shots. The Immunization Advisory Center. Web.
Dzubay, S. (2017). An outbreak of the irrational. Fresh Writing. Web.