Author Spotlight
Avni Bansal
I had zero energy, a low-grade fever and nausea for three days.
The nurse had assured me that the meningitis A and B vaccines had no side effects — she was wrong.
But taking two ibuprofen pills to treat my side effects was better than getting a disease that can cause vision loss, paralysis, permanent nerve and brain damage and even death.
My friend’s mom is permanently deaf in one ear because she had meningitis at age 9, before the vaccine was invented in 1992.
Vaccine hesitancy, caused by misinformation spread through social media platforms and news channels, is distracting the world from vaccines’ critical role in saving lives and preventing long-term effects caused by deadly diseases.
As of Feb. 27, nine states reported a total of 164 measles cases — a viral infection that causes pneumonia, brain damage and pregnancy risks and was eliminated (meaning there were no measles outbreaks for over a year) in 2000.
The Guardian also reported that 95% of these cases were in unvaccinated people.
These cases could’ve been prevented.
The measles vaccine is 99% effective, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but fewer people are getting vaccinated because of the “anti-vaccine” movement and mistrust in well-researched CDC recommendations.
“I do believe that autism comes from vaccines,” U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in 2023.
Kennedy, confirmed into office on Feb. 13, is supposed to advise citizens about health-related research. However, Kennedy spreads the scientifically debunked myth that vaccines cause autism, while Autism Speaks states that “decades of scientific research have confirmed that vaccines do not cause autism.”
He even launched the “Make America Healthy Again” commission, yet he’s discouraging children from receiving vaccines. The vaccinations children get combat at least 10 serious infections such as whooping cough, polio and hepatitis. Kennedy is a lawyer — with no medical training — who’s ignoring data and science to promote his political agenda.
Our “educated” leader is creating a chaotic environment for everyday Americans where they don’t know what to believe or where to get trustworthy medical information. According to a publication in the Lancet, since 1974, vaccination has prevented 154 million deaths, with 146 million of them being children. I can’t trust Kennedy when he’s not willing to accept medical data that has proved time after time that vaccines are safe and effective.
Paired with the endless stream of political lies, social media has also played a significant role in the anti-vaccine movement. Hiding behind alluring account usernames like the “Wellness Homesteader” and the “Conspiratorial Fashionista,” Instagram influencers aren’t just spreading baseless claims — they’re profiting from them. According to the University of Washington, the accounts advertise “miracle” products they claim are superior to scientifically proven vaccines — all while disregarding public health and preying on fear.
It’s hard to know who to trust when even the president’s actions convey negative messages about vaccines.
In the middle of the flu season, President Donald Trump’s administration ended a CDC flu vaccination campaign, NPR reported. With more than 50,000 hospitalized influenza patients during the week of Feb. 1, Trump’s timing to create doubt surrounding vaccines couldn’t have been worse.
It’s not just about politics or personal beliefs.
Our leaders talk about cutting healthcare costs but are ignoring the fact that vaccines are one of the cheapest ways to save lives.
A 2019 measles outbreak cost Hennepin County in Minnesota $1.3 million to contain, and this doesn’t even account for medical costs and indirect economic losses, according to Vaccinate Your Family. This is for one county in one state. This outbreak affected 31 states.
The economic losses of the recent measles outbreak haven’t been calculated but are bound to be significant. Since 95% of the cases in the recent outbreak occurred in unvaccinated people, something as simple as getting vaccinated could’ve saved the country millions.
Make educated decisions about vaccination. If you have an allergy to a product in the vaccine, discuss your options with a medical provider, but don’t let misinformation stop you from getting vaccinated. Vaccines have eradicated deadly diseases, saved millions of lives and remain a crucial tool in preventative medicine.
If you listen to misguided influencers and sleazy, selfish politicians, be aware that you’re harming yourself, your friends and your community by not getting vaccinated.
All we need now is a vaccine that prevents the spread of misinformation.
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