Myths

TOP 5 MYTHS

Anti-vaccinators tend to follow a few myths to support their beliefs. Many of further studies have debunked these myths or showed that these myths are actually a positive idea. 

1. Vaccines can infect the host with the disease that it’s trying to prevent.

This myth is often believed because vaccines do carry the viruses. Rush University Medical Center provides a great explanation for this. In summary, the difference is that the vaccines carry inactive viruses that essentially trick our immune system into believing that they are the disease. This then gives the ability for our immune system to create proactive antibodies. 

2. We don’t need to vaccine anymore because the diseases are basically extinct.

Unfortunately, diseases will never truly be extinct. Though they may be in your country they may still be extremely active in others. All it takes is one person who has not been vaccinated to contract a disease from another county and bring it back home to cause an outbreak for others with weak immune systems or who are also not vaccinated. When people travel to other countries, they are often directed to get different types of vaccinations in order to block the diseases that are common there so they do not travel back into the home country.

3. Vaccines have harmful ingredients.

The American Acadamy of Allergy Asthma and Immunity explains that vaccinations use ingredients that are lower than what we are exposed to in the natural environment. One of the big concerning ingredients in vaccinations is Thimerosal which contains mercury. There have been no studies to confirm that Thimerosal is at all harmful in vaccines. The amount of Thimerosal is lower in vaccinations then what we are exposed to in our environment because there are higher potents of mercury in things such as milk and contact lens solution.

4. Vaccinating your child only affects your child.

There used to be a belief of something called ‘herd immunity’ where if enough people are vaccinated the diseases can not spread around. Unfortunately now with the rise of anti-vaccinators, we have found that these diseases are able to spread to those who have been vaccinated but have a weak immune system. When you chose not to vaccinate your child you are potentially putting your community in danger as well.

5. Vaccinations can be replaced by proper sanitation rituals.

Though research may show that proper hygiene such as hand washing and sanitation can prevent more common colds and diseases, it can not prevent diseases like measles where it is spread through the air. This though does not mean that people should not properly keep clean and sanitized because we need to still prevent the spread of common and mild illnesses.