From blind faith to health disaster

In recent years, the natural living movement, with its blind belief that the human body can heal itself without medical intervention, has caused enormous harm.

One of these dangerous trends is the anti-vaccination movement, which has caused unnecessary deaths and immeasurable damage. Misconceptions and misinformation not only threaten the lives of individuals, but also rob the future of entire generations.

Illustration photo.

As fear and doubt about vaccines spread, deaths and serious illnesses continue to rise unchecked. Although vaccines have saved millions of lives and prevented pandemics that threatened the world, there are still people who continue to deny scientific truth and fuel unfounded conspiracy theories.

From myths about autism and infertility to misinformation about side effects, vaccines are considered enemies of human health. And unfortunately, these false views are increasingly spreading, causing harm to the whole community, especially children - the most vulnerable.

What is more worrying is that while stories of going vaccine-free are touted as a wonderful choice, the reality is that it is costing lives. Unvaccinated children are at risk, and blind parents are sending their children to their deaths.

According to Dr. Le Kien Ngai, National Children's Hospital, currently, in Vietnam, there are not many in-depth studies on the situation of vaccine hesitancy or opposition. A study in Binh Luc district, Ha Nam showed that the rate of hesitancy to get vaccinated against Covid-19 is up to 25.1%.

The main reasons for this situation are concerns about side effects, lack of information and blind faith in natural immunity. This has caused a strong wave of opposition to vaccines, especially on social media, where groups call for refusal of vaccination and share misinformation. This information negatively affects public awareness, leading many to believe that vaccines are unnecessary or even dangerous.

Vaccine hesitancy is exacerbated by the fact that Vietnam is facing a five-year disease outbreak cycle. Diseases such as measles, whooping cough, and diphtheria can easily re-emerge if vaccination rates are not up to par.

Measles, in particular, is highly contagious. According to Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Infectious Diseases Association, a person with measles can transmit the disease to up to 18 other people. Those who have not been vaccinated or have never had measles will not have immunity and are at risk of contracting the disease in future outbreaks.

Therefore, Dr. Truong Huu Khanh recommends that vaccines are the only effective weapon to prevent measles. Without full vaccination, the community will face the risk of spreading the disease in a wide area, difficult to control.

When vaccination rates fall short, dangerous infectious diseases return, overshadowing the world's long-standing efforts to fight disease.

Ignorance and unfounded skepticism about vaccines have led to low vaccination rates, and diseases that were thought to be under control have suddenly returned, threatening the lives of millions of people. Measles, whooping cough, and diphtheria are gradually returning, and the price to pay is the loss of lives, which is immeasurable.

Mr. Tran Dac Phu, former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, could not hide his concern when emphasizing that every time there is a case of adverse event after vaccination, the "anti-vaccine" wave becomes stronger, paralyzing the vaccination work. The resurgence of epidemics that were thought to have been extinguished is clear evidence of the destructive power of refusing to be vaccinated.

In fact, the number of measles cases in Vietnam is increasing at an alarming rate: 42,488 suspected cases, 5 deaths. Sadly, more than 95% of them are children who have not been vaccinated.

It is the refusal to vaccinate that costs innocent children their lives. The story of a 4-year-old girl who died of measles because she was not vaccinated is a warning of the dangers of this movement. Can we continue to be indifferent, continuing to allow these senseless deaths to happen?

Vaccines are the only tool we have to prevent deadly diseases. By not getting vaccinated, we are throwing away the only weapon we have to protect ourselves and our communities from disease. Don’t let hesitancy and ignorance lead to unnecessary deaths.

Vaccination is an individual responsibility to themselves and their community. Vaccination is not only a measure to protect personal health, but also a way for us to protect the vulnerable, children who are not old enough to be vaccinated, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

Vaccines prevent millions of deaths each year. Polio vaccines have saved more than 20 million lives from permanent paralysis. Measles vaccines have saved nearly 94 million lives over the past 50 years. Every injection is a triumph of science, and the work of millions of people working to protect public health.

Dr. Le Thi Kim Hoa, Vaccination Consultant, Safpo/Potec Vaccination System, frankly stated that refusing to be vaccinated not only harms the person refusing, but also threatens the lives of those around them.

People who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons need to be indirectly protected by communities with high vaccination rates. And if we don’t act today, the consequences will be more than just a pandemic, they will be a global disaster.

The world is on the brink of new pandemics. Experts warn that vaccine hesitancy is reducing vaccination coverage and increasing the risk of outbreaks. It is anti-vaxxers who are undoing the hard work of humanity, pushing communities into a deadly spiral of disease.

If we do not unite and act now, the disease will spread and take innocent lives.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/anti-vac-xin-tu-niem-tin-mu-quang-den-tham-hoa-suc-khoe-d259737.html