Discussion Board: Medicine, Politics and the Economy
Review this website to orient yourself to the idea of vaccine exemptions: "What are the Vaccine Laws in Your State?":Â http:
www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/health-science-technology/the-vaccine-wa
what-are-the-vaccine-exemption-laws-in-your-state Links to an external site./Links to an external site.
Some states allow for vaccine exemptions based on philosophical or religious differences. You'll note that this article is dated 2015, well before Covid19 and the Covid19 vaccine. The case for mandating vaccines has been an ongoing topic of debate.
Answer the following questions:Â
1) Is the decision to vaccinate different from other types of personal health decisions? Why or why not? Think sociologically, not personally. What is the function of vaccinations in society? Who benefits most when people get vaccinated?Â
2) Who should be involved in deciding whether children receive a specific vaccine? Reflect on all the institutions we've covered so far (family, education, religion, medicine, government, workplaces). Identify all the people or institutions that should be involved in this decision, and explain why you think they should have input.
3) For citizens, regardless of age, should the government have the right to compel (mandate) vaccination? Why or why not? This should not be a personal opinion, you should be applying concepts. Think sociologically. Â
4) For minors, should parents have the right to refuse it? Think sociologically. How would this affect the individual versus how will it affect society?Â
5) For employers, should workplaces have the authority to require vaccines for their employees?
6) If there are competing beliefs among groups, who should have the ultimate authority on something like vaccination?