You would never put your infant in the car without a car seat or let your child cross the road without looking both ways. Yet each year thousands of parents choose to put their children in even greater danger by refusing to have them immunized according to the recommended schedule. Recent new stories and rumors about vaccines have led to outbreaks of deadly diseases once assumed to be eliminated. Understanding the importance of immunizations will help you understand why they’re included in health care insurance quotes and what might happen if you give in to the tears about the pain of a shot.
Immunizations are Fully Tested
The claims between vaccines and autism have been thoroughly debunked, yet they’re still keeping many parents from getting correct immunization for their children. Reactions to vaccines are very rare and identified early in a child’s life. Aside from being allergic to the vaccine or having a rare reaction, there is no known risk to getting a particular vaccine. All vaccines are thoroughly tested before use and are taken out of use immediately if a serious problem is suspected. While there’s always a chance of minor side effects like swelling and discomfort at the injection site, none of the symptoms compare to the pain and risks of the actual diseases.
Immunizations Protect Your Child
It’s another common rumor that any child protected by health insurance near me needs no immunizations because they can get sick regardless of vaccination status. However, it’s true that getting a vaccine for a specific disease greatly reduces your risk of developing it. If vaccines offered no protection, there would be no reason to give tetanus booster shots to adults after a cut from a rusty blade or a poke from a dirty nail. Vaccinated children still have a low chance of getting chicken pox or measles, but the chances are very small compared to a non-vaccinated child. The treatment for just one case of uncomplicated measles can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars if hospitalization is necessary, and all of the childhood diseases you can currently vaccinate against have a chance to prove deadly.
Vaccinating Protects Everyone
If the health of your own child isn’t enough to convince you of the power of vaccines, think about those around you. There are plenty of children and adults who can’t be immunized because of compromised immune systems or allergies. This means they don’t have the benefit of vaccine protection and are at risk for catching a disease. If your child isn’t vaccinated, they can carry measles, mumps, or other diseases without showing any symptoms. This could lead to the illness and potential death of hundreds or thousands of other people, all because of a personal choice on your behalf. Immunizing as many people as possible reduces the opportunities for spreading the disease, allowing many conditions to be practically eliminated.
Need help covering the costs of all those routine back-to-school vaccines? Get quick health care insurance quotes from Freeway Insurance. Visit your local Freeway office or call 800-777-5620 to learn more.
