One would think that the overwhelming evidence in favor of proper vacation would be enough to destroy or just topple any blatantly cognitive bias linked argument that vaccines are dangerous. But I suppose in an ironic way anti-vaccine advocates seem stubbornly immune to such empirical data or facts—the price of which is a major public health risks to the children they seem so ardent to protect from the same scary vaccines that would protect them from measles.
A recent study conducted by Infectious Diseases Society of America, suggests that nearly 9 million American children from the ages of infant-hood to their late teens are susceptible ,or at risk, of contracting measles (IDSA, 2015). The reason, this particular segment of the population have not been properly inoculated against the measles virus (IDSA, 2015).
What are the primary reasons, for this gap in the nation's herd immunity? Drum roll please *drum roll* as was found by the IDSA the factors include and are not limited to the following,
1: Medical Reasons: the child’s immune system is unable to handle the vaccine ( IDSA,2015).
I’d like to see the statistics on the occurrences of the conditions that prevent measles vaccinations , or how often a child has an immune system so weak or underdeveloped, even at the right age for inoculation, that it can’t even handle a weakened or dead form of measles.
2: Age: The child is not old enough for the immunization or measles vaccine ( IDSA,2015).
This is legitimate, but very temporal, once the child is old enough, what would be the parents' excuses then? Oh, wait, that’s where reasons 3 and 4 come into play!
3: “Personal Reasons” ( IDSA,2015).
The article wasn’t specific on the aforementioned factor(s) , but I suppose there is room for suggesting that a modicum or even a large part of those “Personal Reasons” stem from the fear conjured by the Anti-Vaccine movement, or a negligence on part of the parents in delaying these measles vaccinations.
4: Religion: (IDSA, 2015).
I’ve seen my share of cop outs, but this one is just as egregious as it is comprised of stupidity.
“Oh sorry, it’s against our faith to vaccinate our small child against a virus like measles that is potentially life threatening to him/her, so will jut opt out of it ."
It’s tragically beautiful, knowing that these type of parents exists, it just leaves me in awe and I just try to wrap my head around their rational—or lack thereof. If I ever heard such a statement like the one I fabricated above in real life, it would be comparable to seeing a unicorn – that suddenly turned inside out— and then exploded. Its’ horrific to look at, but you just can’t look away, and you are left asking WTF?
Fortunately, the rest of the nation’s populace is more conscientious of the importance of measles vaccines, as 92-94% of American children are vaccinated against the measles virus (IDSA,2015). Heard immunity is fairly robust in this regard, however, herd immunity can only work if the strong majority are immune, and as the IDSA had suggested, a sizable number of children are still left in-between the cracks of this armor. Thus they are liable to contract this possibly fatal yet incredibly preventable disease (IDSA, 2015)
The exact statistics found by the researchers working for IDSA are as follows
12.5 % of all American Children—8.7 million— are not fully protected from measles by vaccination. Broken down even further, 24.7% of children ages three and younger are at risk for contracting measles ( IDSA,2015). 4.6% of seventeen year-olds have received no doses of the MMR vaccine ( IDSA,2015).The IDSA estimates that if the population of vaccinated children drops below 98% of the aforementioned levels ,then 14.2% of American children would be vulnerable to measles( 2015).
Ultimately, herd immunity has helped to maintain low levels of measles outbreaks in the US, however a decline its members’ numbers can and will only allow for greater or more frequent outbreaks of measles to occur in the United States. In this regard, it is prudent, nay necessary that the rhetoric of the anti-vaccine movement is rendered laughable and without any means or power of coercing or shifting public health policies.
Just a visual aid for the scale of this issue, as per given by the wonderful folks of the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
Reference.
Infectious Diseases Society of America. (2015, October 8). One in eight children at risk for measles, analysis shows: Undervaccination leaves nearly 9 million vulnerable to contagious disease.ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 8, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151008142235.htm
A recent study conducted by Infectious Diseases Society of America, suggests that nearly 9 million American children from the ages of infant-hood to their late teens are susceptible ,or at risk, of contracting measles (IDSA, 2015). The reason, this particular segment of the population have not been properly inoculated against the measles virus (IDSA, 2015).
What are the primary reasons, for this gap in the nation's herd immunity? Drum roll please *drum roll* as was found by the IDSA the factors include and are not limited to the following,
1: Medical Reasons: the child’s immune system is unable to handle the vaccine ( IDSA,2015).
I’d like to see the statistics on the occurrences of the conditions that prevent measles vaccinations , or how often a child has an immune system so weak or underdeveloped, even at the right age for inoculation, that it can’t even handle a weakened or dead form of measles.
2: Age: The child is not old enough for the immunization or measles vaccine ( IDSA,2015).
This is legitimate, but very temporal, once the child is old enough, what would be the parents' excuses then? Oh, wait, that’s where reasons 3 and 4 come into play!
3: “Personal Reasons” ( IDSA,2015).
The article wasn’t specific on the aforementioned factor(s) , but I suppose there is room for suggesting that a modicum or even a large part of those “Personal Reasons” stem from the fear conjured by the Anti-Vaccine movement, or a negligence on part of the parents in delaying these measles vaccinations.
4: Religion: (IDSA, 2015).
I’ve seen my share of cop outs, but this one is just as egregious as it is comprised of stupidity.
“Oh sorry, it’s against our faith to vaccinate our small child against a virus like measles that is potentially life threatening to him/her, so will jut opt out of it ."
It’s tragically beautiful, knowing that these type of parents exists, it just leaves me in awe and I just try to wrap my head around their rational—or lack thereof. If I ever heard such a statement like the one I fabricated above in real life, it would be comparable to seeing a unicorn – that suddenly turned inside out— and then exploded. Its’ horrific to look at, but you just can’t look away, and you are left asking WTF?
Fortunately, the rest of the nation’s populace is more conscientious of the importance of measles vaccines, as 92-94% of American children are vaccinated against the measles virus (IDSA,2015). Heard immunity is fairly robust in this regard, however, herd immunity can only work if the strong majority are immune, and as the IDSA had suggested, a sizable number of children are still left in-between the cracks of this armor. Thus they are liable to contract this possibly fatal yet incredibly preventable disease (IDSA, 2015)
The exact statistics found by the researchers working for IDSA are as follows
12.5 % of all American Children—8.7 million— are not fully protected from measles by vaccination. Broken down even further, 24.7% of children ages three and younger are at risk for contracting measles ( IDSA,2015). 4.6% of seventeen year-olds have received no doses of the MMR vaccine ( IDSA,2015).The IDSA estimates that if the population of vaccinated children drops below 98% of the aforementioned levels ,then 14.2% of American children would be vulnerable to measles( 2015).
Ultimately, herd immunity has helped to maintain low levels of measles outbreaks in the US, however a decline its members’ numbers can and will only allow for greater or more frequent outbreaks of measles to occur in the United States. In this regard, it is prudent, nay necessary that the rhetoric of the anti-vaccine movement is rendered laughable and without any means or power of coercing or shifting public health policies.
Just a visual aid for the scale of this issue, as per given by the wonderful folks of the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html
Reference.
Infectious Diseases Society of America. (2015, October 8). One in eight children at risk for measles, analysis shows: Undervaccination leaves nearly 9 million vulnerable to contagious disease.ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 8, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151008142235.htm
