Arguments against vaccines unjustified and denied repeatedly.

One of the newly appointed ministers, the Health Minister Arsen Torosyan, has become a target for criticism in the social networks. The latter is criticized for some of his ideas voiced previously, however now the criticism is moving to another dimension. Particularly, attempts are made to question the vaccination against infections that have been implemented for years and their necessity. We will not address the criticisms directed to the Minister, instead, we will only draw public attention to those hypotheses that contain obvious and false information about vaccination.

 

1. Vaccination causes autism. Since 2003, the United States Centers for Disease Control, which is considered to be the world’s most substantial provider of evidence-based medicine, has carried out nine scientific researches on vaccines, substances contained in them, and their possible connection to autism. As a result, the cause-and-effect relationship between autism and vaccination was finally denied. Research has revealed that autism is registered among both vaccinated and not vaccinated children. No  causal relation was found between the insignificant amount of thimerosal contained in the vaccine and autism, as well as, between those vaccines and developments of nervous system disorders.
2. Improved hygiene and sanitation leads to the elimination of illnesses, so there is no need for vaccination. Although improved sanitary and hygienic conditions protect a person from a number of infectious diseases, the diseases that are prevented by vaccination may appear again, if vaccination is stopped. Many diseases are spread regardless of hygienic conditions. If the population is not vaccinated, rare cases of illnesses may come back, such as measles or poliomyelitis.
3. Diphtheria, blue cough, and pollination, as well as vaccines against poliomyelitis, cause sudden death among infants. There is no causal connection between vaccines and sudden deaths among infants. However, vaccination is performed at a time when sudden death syndrome may occur among infants. That is to say, the sudden death may coincide with vaccination or it may occur without vaccination. It is important to keep in mind, that these four diseases can cause death, severe disability, therefore by not vaccinating children, we expose them to a greater risk.
4. More than one simultaneous vaccination may have side effects and can overload the child’s immune system. According to research data, simultaneous injections of several vaccines do not have an adverse effect on the immune system of the child. Every day, children are exposed to the impact of more than hundred foreign impulses, which cause an immune response. Usually numerous antibodies penetrate into the body through food, and numerous bacteria live in the mouth, and in the nasal cavity.  The child is exposed to the impact of a large number of antibodies more during cold or angina, rather than during vaccination.

The advantages of simultaneous vaccinations are: the number of visits to a policlinic are reduced, which will save time and money, the probability that the child will receive the necessary vaccinations without breaking the national calendar rises. The usage of combined vaccination also contributes to the reduction of the numbers of injection, for example, the use of vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella.

5. The flue is just an unpleasant disease, and its vaccination is not effective. The flue is more than an unpleasant disease. It is a serious disease that causes death around 300,000 to 500,000 people annually. The risk group includes pregnant women, children of younger age, the elderly, and patients with chronic cardiovascular, respiratory system diseases. Vaccination of pregnant women has a double positive effect: it also protects babies (since there is no flu vaccine for children younger than 6 months). Vaccination provides protection against three of the most common strokes in every season. The vaccination against flu is the best method to reduce the possibility of severe flu disease, and not to infect the people around us. Avoiding the flu means avoiding extra costs.
6. It is better to boost immunity through illness than vaccination. Vaccines interact with the immune system, causing an immune response that resembles the immune response to the natural infection, however, vaccines do not cause illness, and do not put the vaccinated person in the risk of potential complications.

Contrariwise,  because of  gaining resistance towards vaccine, as a result of the natural infection, it is possible that one must pay with mental retardation caused by hemophilia Type B (Hib), congenital malformations caused by rubella, liver cancer caused by Hepatitis B virus, or with death from measles.

7. Vaccines contain mercury, which is hazardous for health. Thimerossal is a mercury-containing organic substance that is added to some vaccines as a preservative. This is the most commonly used preservative used in vaccines delivered in multifunctional bottles. There is no data on the harmful quantity of the dosage of thimerossal used in the vaccines. According to the National Immunization Prevention Program, after the dissemination of anti-vaccine information, in the recent period, a decline in vaccination rates has been observed. Particularly, the total inclusion of 1 year-olds in vaccination has dropped from 94% (2010) to 90% (March 2018).

Such tendencies are dangerous because, in that case, some diseases may return.

Those who are against vaccines, are having discussions in the following Facebook groups: “Armenian Parenting Club”, “Armenian Women’s Club”, “The consultants”, “Pregnant’ / Mother’s Club”, “Questions To Doctors-Medical Advice”, “Mapa.am”, “Our Baby “,” Everything about vaccines “. It should be noted, however, that this does not imply that these groups exclusively spread disinformation.