A.

SUMMARY

For my project I have chosen to research vaccines, specifically focusing on why people

choose to not vaccinate despite the extensive scientific research proving them to be both safe and

effective. For most of their brief history in the public health arena, vaccines were considered to

be one of the top ten medical achievements of the 20th century, and were often praised by the

public for the millions of lives saved from just the polio vaccine alone. In 1998, however, public

opinion about vaccines experienced a dramatic change for the worse- all because of a study

conducted by Andrew Wakefield on the supposed link between autism and the Mumps, Measles,

Rubella (MMR) vaccine. This study, which consisted of numerous procedural flaws and a

monetary incentive to skew results toward the anti-vaccination movement, claimed that the

MMR vaccine was the cause of autism in the majority of participants. After publication of the

study in ​The Lancet​, an esteemed medical journal, concerned parents across the world began to

boycott the MMR vaccine.

In the decade following the publication of the Wakefield study, the supposed link

between the MMR vaccine and autism was studied intensively. No study affirmed Wakefield’s

findings. Yet to this day, many people continue to believe that nearly all vaccines- not just the

MMR- cause developmental issues, cognitive harm, and physical injury. As a result, vaccination

rates are gradually decreasing, and once eradicated (or almost eradicated) diseases are making a

comeback throughout the country. I selected this topic because I am interested in learning more

about epidemiology and immunology, as well as the effect falsified scientific research has on a

population’s values. It also frustrates me that vaccine-preventable diseases are prevalent again,

all because of an unfounded study released nearly two decades ago.

Questions to guide my research and project are as follows:

● Why do people oppose vaccination?

● Are there risks involved with vaccination?

● Is acquired immunity better than natural immunity?

● Is vaccination mandatory in other countries?

● Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the harm?

● How are vaccines regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?

● How do unvaccinated people affect the herd immunity of a population?

● How does falsified scientific research affect personal opinion and belief?

● What are the long term effects of decreasing vaccination rates?

● Should personal liberties be put above public health?

● Should people who choose not to vaccinate be punished?

● Should non-medical exemptions to vaccinations be allowed?

For my project, I intend to hold a meningitis vaccine drive for high school seniors across

the city of Virginia Beach with the help of the Department of Health and my project advisor, Mr.

Godfrey. During the drive, I will educate participants on the importance of keeping their

vaccines up to date with regular booster shots. I will distribute pamphlets about the importance

of vaccination and the role each individual plays in keeping a population healthy, and an easy to

read vaccine schedule that lists what vaccines require booster shots and when they should be

received. I will advertise the drive to every public high school in Virginia Beach through flyers,

posters, social media, and word of mouth. I plan to hold the drive at a public place that is easily

accessible from each part of the city. I will need to obtain materials to create the flyers, posters,
and pamphlets. I will also need to purchase refreshments for the drive. The success of my project

will be evaluated by how many students attend the drive and receive the meningitis vaccine.

B. NEW SKILLS, ENHANCED SKILLS, GROWTH GOALS

New Skills:

● Event planning

Enhanced Skills:

● Communication

● Organization

● Research

● Meeting Deadlines

● Productivity

Growth Goals:

● Time Management

● APA Formatting

● Public speaking

C. MARKETING PLAN/FACILITIES/AUDIENCE

I will hold the vaccine drive at a public place that is centrally located so that no student is

limited in participation on account of location and/or accessibility. My target audience is high

school seniors across Virginia Beach, specifically those who will be attending college in the fall

of 2019. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that first year

college students receive the meningitis booster dose if the initial meningitis vaccine has been

administered before the 16th birthday. Since the majority of colleges require students to live on
campus during their first year, it is highly imperative that every rising college freshmen receive

the meningitis vaccine prior to moving in to residence halls. Recent studies have indicated that

students living in residence halls were seven times more likely to contract meningitis than

college students in general. This is largely due to the methods in which meningitis is transmitted:

direct exposure to or exchange of respiratory secretions by close personal contact such as

coughing, sharing drinks, or simply being in close proximity to an infected person for an

extended amount of time. These factors are common features of college life that are amplified

when students live in tightly packed dormitories. Between 2013 to 2017, forty instances of

meningitis- both single cases ​and​ outbreaks- were reported on college campuses throughout the

country. Widespread administration of the meningitis vaccine could have greatly reduced this

number.

I will promote my event by distributing flyers to seniors, hanging posters throughout the

school, and creating social media posts. I will also advertise the vaccine drive to other Virginia

Beach high schools so their graduating seniors can be involved as well.

D. PROJECT STEPS

Preliminary Meet with Department of Health officials, schedule drive date, secure
Steps location, create checklist/plan for the drive

Midway Steps Confirm venue, confirm checklist and plan with the Department of
Health, confirm scheduled date, contact other high schools

Later Steps Create flyers/posters, print flyers and distribute, hang posters, purchase
refreshments

Follow Up Clean up, thank you notes, record the number of vaccines administered

Total 20+ hours

E. PROJECT DOCUMENTATION

● Email conversations

● Phone call log

● Flyers and posters from event advertisement

● Screenshots of social media posts

● Photo and video of event

● Receipts from purchases

● Checklist/plan

● Number of students who receive the vaccine

F. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

Every rising college freshmen in the Virginia Beach public schools district will benefit

from my project. According to the CDC, less than one-third of first dose meningitis recipients

have received the required booster dose. Vaccines for diseases such as meningitis require the

administration of a booster dose every certain number of years to re-expose the body to the

immunizing antigen and increase the body’s immunity. This means receiving the initial dose of

the meningitis vaccine is simply not enough to build and maintain immunity. Since living in

residence halls puts students at an increased risk of encountering the bacteria responsible for

meningitis, vaccination is essential. Many students are not aware they need the meningitis

vaccine before college, so my project will spread awareness of the meningitis vaccine and

provide an easy way for students to get vaccinated without the hassle of going to the doctor.
G. PROJECT-PAPER CONNECTION

The purpose of my paper is to evaluate the relationship between personal liberties and

public health, specifically if one outweighs the other. I will accomplish this by identifying the

effects of fraudulent scientific research, the roots of the anti-vaccination movement, and the short

and long term impacts of not vaccinating. My project will allow me to educate rising college

freshmen on the importance of vaccines and the vital role they each play in promoting public

health.

H. ACADEMIC HONESTY

I understand that any academic dishonesty by me on any part of the project will result in failure

of the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School diploma.