Question

Case Study No. 1:

A mother brings her two-year old daughter into the clinic. In your review of her case history you see that the child has received no immunizations. The mother tells you that she believes that vaccinations weaken the immune system and that she heard in the news that vaccinations are associated with the increased incidence of autism. You know that it is still being reported in the entertainment celebrity news but the autism connection research has been debunked in scientific literature.

Should unvaccinated children be allowed in public schools?

Should we adopt an “ everybody” requirement policy like Cuba. for the sake of the public health?

Answer 1

1. The parent needs a thorough counselling about the fake and unverified sources of news that often spread half truths or false narratives for different objectives. She needs to be convinced as to how important vaccinations are for healthy and productive life of a child. She should be helped to find out the way to get the alternative for her missed vaccines and a schedule for future vaccinations must be prepared.

2. Religious freedoms are protected in constitution, but no religion forbids the vaccination. If a religious practice mandates that there should be non vaccinations, it must be stopped in the greater interests of community's well being.

3. Children who are unvaccinated can be potentially dangerous for the others. They should be given admission, but be idetified at the same time, so that they can be given special attention at the time of pandemics and monitored for various health conditions, and treated on priority, should they contact a disease.

4."Everybody" requirement should be met for all potentially dangerous communicable diseases that can risk the life of the child as well as others who come in his /her contact. This is particularly true in the light of recent pandemic of COVID-19, where patients who have had BCG vaccine are said to have resisted the disease better than those who did not. ( Though this fact needs further establishment)