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Graded Assignment ENG203A/204A: Literary Analysis and Composition II | Unit 8 | Lesson 6: Writing the Persuasive Essay I

Adora Svitak

Mrs. Harned

WAVA-HS

December 15, 2009

Shots Aren’t Scary

Recently, an acquaintance of my family, Naomi, came to visit. Naomi can be best

described as a hardcore radical. At the time she visited, she was on a strict diet that involved raw

meat, unpasteurized cheese, and sixteen uncooked eggs a day. She doesn’t watch TV, thinks

microwaves are dangerous, and believes the government is trying to brainwash you. But one of

her most rigidly held beliefs is the idea that nobody should get vaccinated. From my stubborn

opposition to Naomi’s beliefs came the realization that vaccines are one of civilization’s greatest

defenses in the war against disease. I believe that everyone should get vaccinated against the

sicknesses which threaten their community. After all, vaccinations are easily accessible; they

reduce health costs overall; and they are crucial for your health and that of the general public.

Some people cite the inaccessibility of vaccines as a reason they don’t get inoculated. But

the truth is that, in general, vaccinations are easily accessible. Some employers, such as

Microsoft, may offer seasonal flu vaccinations on campus; vaccines are usually available at your

doctor’s office or pharmacy. Government outreach programs make vaccines for widespread

diseases available for low cost. Although it is true that quantities of the H1N1, or “swine flu,”

vaccine, were originally in short supply, it is now easy to find vaccines near you through
Graded Assignment ENG203A/204A: Literary Analysis and Composition II | Unit 8 | Lesson 6: Writing the Persuasive Essay I

Flu.gov, a government website established to prevent the spread of influenza. I was able to find

seven locations near me that offered the H1N1 vaccine, all less than an hour’s drive away.

My older sister will tell you that I can be tight-fisted with money, but I think it’s

important to keep track of costs. You don’t have to be a statistician to know that getting

vaccinated keeps down healthcare spending. For instance, one dose of an H1N1 flu shot may

cost 0-20 dollars. According to the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, each flu

hospitalization will cost on average more than 13,000 dollars. Costs were even higher for “the

19% of patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). These more seriously ill

patients had total costs of $39,792,” as the institute’s publication, the LDI Brief,

related. Costs on such a level can bankrupt a family without health insurance.

When, or if, hospitals or governments pick up the tab, costs can begin to add up

for taxpayers. Would you rather pay 0-20 dollars or 13,000-39,000 dollars—and

possibly your life? The answer should be clear.

Most importantly, getting vaccinated ensures public safety. As a case in

point, poliomyelitis, or polio, was a widespread epidemic that ravaged the

United States. It was a harsh disease. PBS’s “A Science Odyssey” website said

on polio, “This infectious viral disease attacks the nerve cells and sometimes the central

nervous system, often causing muscle wasting and paralysis and even death.” Although most of

polio’s victims were children, no one was exempt—Franklin Delano Roosevelt caught it at the

age of 39 while vacationing at his family’s summer retreat, Campobello Island

(www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/disease/polio/polio2.html). For many years, people were helpless

—they had no way to stop polio from spreading. After scientist Jonas Salk developed and tested

a polio vaccine, millions of people were able to safeguard against polio. According to the
Graded Assignment ENG203A/204A: Literary Analysis and Composition II | Unit 8 | Lesson 6: Writing the Persuasive Essay I

website of Washington D.C.’s Academy of Achievement Museum, “In countries where Salk’s

vaccine has remained in use, the disease has been virtually eradicated.” Today, children are

vaccinated against polio, ensuring that future generations will be able to grow up without the fear

of a terrible disease.

As overwhelming evidence suggests, there are many reasons to get vaccinated. With the

growing accessibility of vaccines, you can no longer use “It’s too hard to get vaccinated” as an

excuse. The difference in cost between getting inoculated and a hospital stay are staggering. To

preserve your own financial well-being, and that of your country, getting vaccinated is the

economically sensible thing to do. But most importantly, the vaccine is the public’s most

powerful weapon for protection in the unceasing battle against sickness. So join the fight—get

vaccinated.

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