Smart Choices
by Connie Lehman, Registered Dietitian at Topeka Pharmacy
I
Vaccination Facts
t is easy to conclude that
vaccinations help save lives
when you look at worldwide
statistics. Although some try
to make the case that vaccinations are
dangerous, the facts clearly show vaccinations have decreased suffering and
death caused by communicable diseases for children. These facts are why
in the US, we continue to vaccinate our
children at a rate over 90% for routine
vaccinations, with 99% having at least
one vaccination by the time they are
19-35 months old, according to a 2010
CDC report.
Measles is still a leading cause
of childhood suffering in the world,
however, with a death rate of 139,000
in 2010, according to the World Health
Organization (WHO). In countries
where immunization rates are high,
such as in the US, there is a low risk of
catching measles. In countries where
immunization rates are low, such as in
Africa and Asia, the rate of measles is
high and takes its toll.
A recent example of this relationship is the Ukraine. Immunization levels have decreased in recent years for a
number of reasons. Only 50% of children in the Ukrai ?R&R??rf66??FV@?v??7B?V6?W2?'?6??RW7F??FW2??F?R6B&W7V?B?2&VV??VvP???7&V6R??66W2?b?V6?W0?7??6?&VB'???#c?S?2?##S"(
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