Prior to school districts making vaccinations mandatory it was often policy that there was to be expected at least one death due communicable disease per school year in a class of students. Around 3% total, annually. Is that really something we want to go back to?
Wow, this is topical for me. My anecdote: 4 days ago I went out to lunch with a group of work colleagues. One was a contractor who has been in my dept. 2 only months. We had car pooled 5 into 1 car and driving back to work, the guy went on about various conspiracy theories, including the pharmaceutical industry, which led to, of course, he loudly accusing them of fooling the world about vaccination. His words clearly showed he misunderstood the term “herd immunity”. The car had already gone quiet with the other occupants not wanting to poke further into this guy’s nest but since I was in the passenger front seat, I wasn’t aware he was already frothing at the mouth and I soldiered on, asking him, disbelievingly, about sources. Man, what did I do? The guy YELLED about “FACTS, baby, FACTS, I’ve done my research, have you? I have FACTS!”. I replied that I not done any medical research but would be happy to read peer reviewed articles or a thesis which contested the validity of vaccination programmes and research that autism was caused by vaccination. Wow, that kicked off another tirade which had the driver asking me under his breath to not unsettle the nutter anymore, and then loudly changing the subject.
My wife asked me last night about why I sometimes choose to not confront some of my colleagues and at other times I do ( I had mentioned overhearing another colleague’s homophobic outrage about Conchita Wurst winning the Eurovision contest but I had left the room instead and went home). I explained about office politics and some common sense depending on the context and position of the person ranting.When these denialists are confronted, they really go nuts. Shouting down the opposition is their only recourse. Well, not the only recourse. Fortunately, in the UK Going Postal is rare but I didn’t want to create another notch on UK’s belt. And my job pays far too well for me to lose it getting into a fisticuff fight with some of the loons I work with.
Pertussis vaccination does have some issues. Like most it does not provide 100% protection however the best strategy is to vaccinate everyone. Here is an article that talks about the issues. http://www.wired.com/2012/08/pertussis-vax-effectiveness/
I had chicken pox, so now I can look forward to the possibility of getting shingles later on. All in all, I’d as soon have gone to school as spent those miserable, boring days lying around and trying not to scratch.
These diseases show the difference between individual problems and social problems. When a person has contracted measles, that person needs to be treated as an individual. But the spread of measles is social, and therefore the prevention of measles is a social problem which needs a social solution — in this case, vaccination.+This idea can be extended. In my classes I have a few lazy students. That’s an individual problem, and it needs an individual solution. But I also note that almost all of my students have problems with grammar and composition. That’s a social problem; the cause is the decision some years back that grammar would no longer be taught in primary and secondary school. I can’t blame the individual students when the system is not offering them what they need. The solution is social — we need to go back to teaching grammar.+If a person is unemployed in a booming economy, probably that’s an individual problem. But when there is mass unemployment, the problem is social and it needs a social solution.+That’s my concept of socialism. When a problem is social, it needs a social solution. Traditional capitalism (based on what used to be called liberalism) doesn’t recognize social problems; traditional liberalism thinks that all problems are individual. According to Margaret Thatcher there are no groups in society, just individuals. She’s just wrong. There are groups, and there are social problems. Those social problems need social solutions.
I have a problem with this notion of “vaccines” as a catch-all word. Discussing whether vaccines are good or bad for you is like discussing whether food is good or bad for you. I mean, I think polio vaccination is one of the greatest things in the world and I laugh at Homeopathy. Both things are vaccines.
WHO just declared the Polio outbreaks in central Asia & Africa to be international health threats. These occurred despite Polio being nearly eradicated when religious extremists began killing the Polio vaccination teams in response to the CIA’s use of that ‘cover’ to find OBL. Now, hundreds of children are suffering paralysis as a result.
Hopefully Jen keeps mocking the science deniers of the world. It’s fun reading their insane responses trying to justify them over the cartoon. Next up, pesticides don’t kill bees, then GMOs don’t mutate bugs.
Enoki almost 10 years ago
Jen, I had mumps as a kid, chicken pox too. Even got a MRSA and survived..Diseases are overrated…
AlnicoV almost 10 years ago
Prior to school districts making vaccinations mandatory it was often policy that there was to be expected at least one death due communicable disease per school year in a class of students. Around 3% total, annually. Is that really something we want to go back to?
OmqR-IV.0 almost 10 years ago
Wow, this is topical for me. My anecdote: 4 days ago I went out to lunch with a group of work colleagues. One was a contractor who has been in my dept. 2 only months. We had car pooled 5 into 1 car and driving back to work, the guy went on about various conspiracy theories, including the pharmaceutical industry, which led to, of course, he loudly accusing them of fooling the world about vaccination. His words clearly showed he misunderstood the term “herd immunity”. The car had already gone quiet with the other occupants not wanting to poke further into this guy’s nest but since I was in the passenger front seat, I wasn’t aware he was already frothing at the mouth and I soldiered on, asking him, disbelievingly, about sources. Man, what did I do? The guy YELLED about “FACTS, baby, FACTS, I’ve done my research, have you? I have FACTS!”. I replied that I not done any medical research but would be happy to read peer reviewed articles or a thesis which contested the validity of vaccination programmes and research that autism was caused by vaccination. Wow, that kicked off another tirade which had the driver asking me under his breath to not unsettle the nutter anymore, and then loudly changing the subject.
My wife asked me last night about why I sometimes choose to not confront some of my colleagues and at other times I do ( I had mentioned overhearing another colleague’s homophobic outrage about Conchita Wurst winning the Eurovision contest but I had left the room instead and went home). I explained about office politics and some common sense depending on the context and position of the person ranting.When these denialists are confronted, they really go nuts. Shouting down the opposition is their only recourse. Well, not the only recourse. Fortunately, in the UK Going Postal is rare but I didn’t want to create another notch on UK’s belt. And my job pays far too well for me to lose it getting into a fisticuff fight with some of the loons I work with.
geometer2 almost 10 years ago
I was in a car wreck without a seat belt or airbag and only got a scratch! I guess that means no one needs seat belts or airbags! Duh!!!!
Theodore E. Lind Premium Member almost 10 years ago
Pertussis vaccination does have some issues. Like most it does not provide 100% protection however the best strategy is to vaccinate everyone. Here is an article that talks about the issues. http://www.wired.com/2012/08/pertussis-vax-effectiveness/
loricty almost 10 years ago
very foolish thinking by all of you….
MeGoNow Premium Member almost 10 years ago
I like to think there’s a critical thinking gene, and things like this help clean out the pool.
Kip W almost 10 years ago
I had chicken pox, so now I can look forward to the possibility of getting shingles later on. All in all, I’d as soon have gone to school as spent those miserable, boring days lying around and trying not to scratch.
lonecat almost 10 years ago
These diseases show the difference between individual problems and social problems. When a person has contracted measles, that person needs to be treated as an individual. But the spread of measles is social, and therefore the prevention of measles is a social problem which needs a social solution — in this case, vaccination.+This idea can be extended. In my classes I have a few lazy students. That’s an individual problem, and it needs an individual solution. But I also note that almost all of my students have problems with grammar and composition. That’s a social problem; the cause is the decision some years back that grammar would no longer be taught in primary and secondary school. I can’t blame the individual students when the system is not offering them what they need. The solution is social — we need to go back to teaching grammar.+If a person is unemployed in a booming economy, probably that’s an individual problem. But when there is mass unemployment, the problem is social and it needs a social solution.+That’s my concept of socialism. When a problem is social, it needs a social solution. Traditional capitalism (based on what used to be called liberalism) doesn’t recognize social problems; traditional liberalism thinks that all problems are individual. According to Margaret Thatcher there are no groups in society, just individuals. She’s just wrong. There are groups, and there are social problems. Those social problems need social solutions.
craigwestlake almost 10 years ago
Darwin would be amused…
yusodum almost 10 years ago
I have a problem with this notion of “vaccines” as a catch-all word. Discussing whether vaccines are good or bad for you is like discussing whether food is good or bad for you. I mean, I think polio vaccination is one of the greatest things in the world and I laugh at Homeopathy. Both things are vaccines.
Enoki almost 10 years ago
Thank you very much lifebyc for that completely gratuitous insulting rant. I enjoyed reading it very much.
moosemin almost 10 years ago
lifebyc: LIGHTEN UP!
marshalldoc almost 10 years ago
WHO just declared the Polio outbreaks in central Asia & Africa to be international health threats. These occurred despite Polio being nearly eradicated when religious extremists began killing the Polio vaccination teams in response to the CIA’s use of that ‘cover’ to find OBL. Now, hundreds of children are suffering paralysis as a result.
Pro-Lick almost 10 years ago
Hopefully Jen keeps mocking the science deniers of the world. It’s fun reading their insane responses trying to justify them over the cartoon. Next up, pesticides don’t kill bees, then GMOs don’t mutate bugs.