Introduction
The problem involves the policy surrounding flu vaccines in children under five years old and its effects in delay or refusal. Vaccine policy usually refers to a government’s health strategy to manage herd immunity for its people (Jester et al., 2020). It has an advisory committee which provides information to states and assists in making an evidence-based decision on immunization mechanisms. The program is typically targeted towards specific individuals at risk as per their health vulnerabilities. One such disadvantaged group is children under the age of five years (Jester et al., 2020). The program is useful for the young generation because it reduces the spread of flues. It also offers direct protection to unvaccinated and high-risk persons. Such measures aim to eradicate or maintain the elimination of infections that can be prevented by vaccines. Furthermore, it seeks to achieve and surpass immunization coverage levels, which is globally recommended among young children.
Lack of vaccination within the specified age group under evaluation can lead to fatalities since their bodies’ immunity will be unprepared to combat invasions. As a result, the hospitals will be flooded with inpatients suffering from illnesses that could have been easily prevented if the right precaution had been taken. Others may equally succumb to the diseases leading to the loss of potential active members of the society shortly. However, the policy is mostly flawed and necessitates an adjustment to solve the underlying challenges. Yearly, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) issues recommendations and guidelines for the program to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality (Rizzo et al., 2018). However, some parents are hesitant to accept the advice because of such reasons as religion, medical, philosophical, or socioeconomic claims. The current government directives are flexible to accommodate the reservations of such parents or guardians. The resulting problem is the widespread non-compliance, which hinders the effectiveness of the vaccination objectives.
Policy Goal Establishment
The primary challenge affecting the policy is non-compliance from some community members; hence the solution will be a rectification of the problem. The scheme aims to encourage people to bring children under their care to go through flu vaccination. In an ideal state, every individual within the age group should gain access to the program and benefit equally. The perfect scenario will accommodate everyone’s varied perspectives while ensuring that the objectives of the stratagem are met. If it succeeds, then the tensions associated with the process will be eliminated since people feel that their autonomy and liberty are infringed upon.
The ethical objections and debate on mandatory vaccination protocols create multiple and interrelated dilemmas that make implementation difficult. Such concerns include contrasting family and religious beliefs and other human rights questions (Olson et al., 2020). As such, if the goal was achieved, the individual disagreement or rebellion towards the policy will be limited hence greater acceptance. Thus, it will result in a dramatic decline in child morbidity and spending on treating otherwise preventable infections. It is the desired outcome because of the fundamental roles of vaccines. They are primarily practical because they boost immunity against that particular flu and its associated symptoms, including asymptomatic carriers. Moreover, they protect individuals who have not gone through the process because of the reduced risk of exposure. Therefore, there is improved health among children under the age of five years, allowing them to survive to adulthood.
Policy Alternatives
Several alternatives can be adopted by authorities to achieve the desired goal and address the concerns. The solution generation process is focused on the individual challenges experienced or primary triggers of recalcitrance. The new scheme should make the program free and accessible to everyone that merits the age requirements. It originates from the reported claims of discriminatory action against some minority groups. The government can create incentives for private industries to manufacture the desired serums at a relatively low cost. Such means include creating tax breaks to stimulate fresh manufacturing plants and improvement of existing firms. It can equally take part in active partnership with private companies to further minimize production cost, hence making the program affordable to everyone (Savulescu et al., 2021). The approach will ensure that there is limited discriminative access in both socioeconomic and ethnic aspects.
Moreover, to tackle resistance, the alternative should focus on addressing contention issues and building a society with informed consent. Some of the beliefs that oppose the program are born from ignorance and misconceptions among people. It originates from the action of some states which provide legal representatives with a Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) with data on the general benefits and risks. The strategy hopes to help the guardians make decisions based on a scientific perspective instead of belief systems. The other means include increasing public awareness and general knowledge on inoculation. However, if the immunization is not done, numerous detrimental outcomes can happen, including children’s death. The no-change option can be considered because it will maintain the current environment.
Conclusion
The main challenge facing immunization policy for children under five years is the objection by some guardians. At this age, the children are most vulnerable because of their weak immune system. It is thus imperative to design new schemes that can solve the situation to save young lives. Alternative approaches include increasing the affordability and improving access to the serum. Additionally, the general public should be considerably informed to minimize the tensions that arise from the ethical debates. The shots are beneficial and are an excellent means of protecting the young population against severe infections.
References
Jester, B. J., Uyeki, T. M., & Jernigan, D. B. (2020). Fifty years of influenza A(H3N2) following the pandemic of 1968.American Journal of Public Health, 110(5), 669−676. Web.
Olson, O., Berry, C., & Kumar, N. (2020). Addressing parental vaccine hesitancy towards childhood vaccines in the United States: A systematic literature review of communication interventions and strategies.Vaccines, 8(4), 590. Web.
Rizzo, C., Rezza, G., & Ricciardi, W. (2018). Strategies in recommending influenza vaccination in Europe and US. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 14(3), 693−698. Web.
Savulescu, J., Giubilini, A., & Danchin, M. (2021). Global ethical considerations regarding mandatory vaccination in children.The Journal of Pediatrics, 1−22. Web.