Anti-vax or anti-vaccination, which is formally known as vaccine hesitancy, is the “delay in acceptance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines” according to World Health Organization (WHO). Vaccine hesitancy is rather complex as it is not a simple attitude of acceptance or rejection. Indeed, it contains different beliefs and behaviours within the group. For instance, some may completely refuse all type of vaccines, whereas some may refuse certain vaccines, but agree to others; Some may accept or delay the scheduled vaccination but still feeling unsure about the “safety” of the vaccine.
The increased popularity of vaccine hesitancy threatens to diminish the effort made in eradicating vaccine-preventable diseases. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) had identified this behaviour as one of the ten global health threats of 2019.
So, what are the beliefs among the anti-vax groups? And what does the evidence say?
Myth #1: Vaccines are not effective. It’s the scam of the pharmaceutical industry.
False. The effectiveness of the vaccines is strongly supported by scientific evidence. According to WHO, vaccines had prevented 2 to 3 million deaths per year worldwide and an estimated 1.5 million more deaths can be prevented once the coverage of the vaccine improved.
In fact, vaccines had successfully eradicated smallpox back in 1980. To date, smallpox is the only human disease ever eradicated, and this was made possible by the collaborative global vaccination programme led by WHO.
Myth #2: The disease is declining due to improved sanitation and hygiene, rather than vaccination.
False. This claim is not supported by scientific evidence. In fact, looking at the graph of measles incidences back in the 1950s, the number of cases were fluctuating over the time until 1963, where a permanent drop in measles cases was observed right after the introduction of measles vaccines. A similar pattern was seen for other vaccine-preventable diseases too! Quoting the original question prompted by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Are we expected to believe that better sanitation caused the incidence of each disease to drop, just at the time a vaccine for that disease was introduced?”
Image credit: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Myth #3: Vaccine only provide temporary immunity. Those who acquire immunity from the disease itself become permanently immune.
In some cases, this might be partially true. However, the harm of this approach far outweighs the benefits. For instance, to gain the immunity for measles, there will be 1 in 500 chance of death from the disease, whereas the chances of getting a severe allergic reaction from vaccination are less than 1 in one million.
Myth #4: Vaccines cause autism.
False. This misconception started to spread when Andrew Wakefield, a British surgeon, published an article in 1997 that suggested that measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine increase the risk of autism in British children. However, the paper was completely discredited due to significant procedural error and data manipulation. It also later discovered that Wakefield had been receiving fund from litigants that against vaccine manufacturers.
Several other studies were conducted after the incidents, to study the relationship between vaccine and autism extensively. However, none of them found a link between vaccine and autism. It is now proven that vaccines do not cause autism.
Myth #5: Vaccines contain aluminium and other harmful chemicals.
False. The vaccines containing formaldehyde, mercury or aluminium are always the concern of the anti-vax community. However, a very small amount of the chemical mentioned is used in FDA approved vaccines. Such a low amount was proven safe for human health. In fact, we are exposed to low levels of naturally occurring aluminium in nearly all meals daily. Even babies are exposed to low amount of aluminium and mercury daily with their breastmilk and infant formula!
Myth #6: Giving multiple vaccinations at once is not safe for my children.
False. Evidence showed that giving multiple vaccines at once does not cause any chronic health problems. Many studies investigated the effects of different vaccine combinations, and none of them caused lasting damage to children’s health. Based on the safety data, both the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend the public to get all the routine childhood vaccines on time.
Myth #7: I don’t need to get vaccinated since the infection rate already low.
False. You have protected from vaccine-preventable disease thanks to “herd immunity”. This immunity formed when the majority of the populations get immune to a specific disease.
Image credit: Times of India
This prevents the disease from spreading, and protect those populations that couldn’t receive vaccinations, i.e. infants, pregnant women, elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. However, if too many people in the population do not vaccinate, the disease can take an opportunity to spread. Therefore, it is very important to vaccinate to protect the vulnerable group!
