How do we increase vaccination rates?

INCREASING VACCINATION RATES: David Ropeik has some ideas on how to do it.

Perhaps it should be harder to opt out of vaccination. (Twenty-one states allow parents to decline vaccination of their children simply for “philosophical” reasons. 48 allow a religious exemption but few demand documentation from parents to support claims that their faith precludes vaccination.)

Hmm. Perhaps. Although I think that vaccinations are vitally important, and that people who choose not to participate do so at the detriment of others, I see no reasonable objection to opting out, as this is based upon the fundamental principles in which I believe; that people have the right to make a decision about whether or not they wish to proceed with such things. I really do hope that uptake of vaccination increases, but I disagree with his ideas on how this can be done. The only real way through which we can achieve the goals stated is through education – people must know that vaccination only works in large numbers, and, perhaps more importantly, they should actually come to understand it to begin with. (via TDD)