Another vaccination debate.

[velvetpage]

I did enjoy this one. I am continually surprised, however, at how people who have been reading booju for several years still don't know or appreciate things like the value of herd immunity or that vaccinated kids can still get sick. Vaccination is one of the few parenting issues where not-my-kid-not-my-business doesn't apply, because every unvaccinated kid increases the likelihood of an outbreak, the likely severity of that outbreak, and the effectiveness of everyone else's vaccines.

I have no problem with people looking at all the facts and deciding to selectively or delay-vax, especially in the States where kids get an obscene number of shots at each visit. Delaying a few months or a year or two probably isn't going to be an issue, and if you feel better about that for your child, so be it. I'm also okay with people choosing not to vax one child who has medical problems. But I really believe that failure to vaccinate most kids within shooting distance of "on time" is a public health risk and a bad idea.

Comments

[deliciouspear.livejournal.com]

I don't disagree with you, but I think the opposite is completely true as well. No matter how many studies can show something is harmful, the pro-vaccination folks will never change their minds either.

[velvetpage.livejournal.com]

I'm willing to be convinced with sound and repeatable scientific studies. The discussion in my house the other day was about the stupidity of requiring a rabies vaccine for ferrets, since they a) have never been shown to carry rabies, and b) have a very high rate of allergic reaction to the vaccine. If I were to become a ferret owner, I'd take that research into account when deciding to vaccinate my pet.

But the sound, repeatable studies are just about all on the pro-vax side.