The human race has faced the mumps, measles, Ebola virus, and everything else in between. Now, it faces another sickening malady: the nonsensical argument, or lack thereof, against vaccinations.

Anti-vaccination supporters use the common claim that diseases just go away or disappear after a while. For example, most of these people assume that because the United States has not experienced rising rates in polio patients, it has disappeared. If polio disappeared, where did it go?

This argument almost comes across as comical. The vaccines that they detest so much take responsibility for the prevention of another polio outbreak.

Take England, for example. In the first six months of 2018, 41,000 people were infected with the measles, 37 of which died.

Professionals blame this outbreak on the drop in vaccination rates in the U.K. and strangely enough, anti-vaccination individuals still choose to deny that their decisions are even slightly imbecilic.
Those who protest against vaccinations also believe that the real reason for a drop in disease outbreaks lies behind improved sanitation and better nutrition. Sanitation and nutrition certainly have an effect on the health of an individual, but they can only do so much.

A disease such as the measles spreads incredibly rapidly. Someone can contract the measles by merely coming in contact with droplets in coughs and sneezes. England has not been ranked the most cleanly country, but it is certainly not regarded as one of the most unsanitary.

With this in mind, sanitation can only do so much against something like the measles. These diseases do not look at a balanced diet and proper sanitation and throw in the towel.

If other preventive measures are not nearly as effective, why not get vaccinated? No scientist or doctor can guarantee that someone will not contract a disease or malady after vaccination, but vaccines still offer more promising results. According to Immunize USA, in 2018, vaccinations saved approximately 42,000 lives in the United States alone.

To make the self-righteous decision not to get vaccinated and to ignore the modern medicine and science that goes into vaccinations threatens the health of those who choose not to get vaccinated and the health of others around them.