Tag: immunization advocate

Where Are All of the Vaccine Advocates?

With more outbreaks and increased talk of vaccine exemptions, one thing often gets lost.

Most people vaccinate and protect their kids because they understand that vaccines are safe, with few risks, and necessary.

Where Are All of the Vaccine Advocates?

Unfortunately, unlike the highly vocal minority of folks who are against vaccines, we rarely hear from vaccine advocates.

There are a lot of them out there though.

And we are finally starting to hear more about them!

“One woman took four of her kids for the M.M.R. that week.”

Amid a Measles Outbreak, an Ultra-Orthodox Nurse Fights Vaccination Fears in Her Community

Like the story of a nurse in Brooklyn who is educating vaccine-hesitant parents in the middle of a measles outbreak.

And how vaccine-hesitant parents in Oregon are attending vaccine workshops to learn about vaccines from medical professionals.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive. In exit surveys, the vast majority of people who attend our workshops say they’ve decided to vaccinate their children as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.”

How do you get anti-vaxxers to vaccinate their kids? Talk to them — for hours.

Had you heard their stories yet?

How about the story about the mom who started the group South Carolina Parents for Vaccines?

“Nelson tries to counter bad information online with facts. But she also understands the value of in-person dialogue. She organized a class at a public library and advertised the event on mom forums.”

A Parent-To-Parent Campaign To Get Vaccine Rates Up

Did you know that a mom in Colorado, who started the group Community Immunity, put up a billboard to help raise immunization rates in her community?

Or that a group of parents formed Vaccinate California and helped support the passage of SB 277 and improved vaccination rates in California?

Did you know that there are similar immunization advocacy groups in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington?

Other communities have Immunization Coalitions and Facebook groups to help answer questions and educate parents about vaccines.

Are you ready to join these vaccine advocates?

More on All of the Vaccine Advocates

How to Become a Vaccine Advocate

Are you tired of reading about outbreaks that might put your family at risk, either because they are too young to be vaccinated, fully vaccinated, or because they have a true medical condition that keeps them from being vaccinated?

Brittney Kara, who once wondered why vaccines weren’t mentioned in the Bible, gets a lot of other things wrong too.

Are you especially tired of reading about these outbreaks while friends and family members post anti-vaccine propaganda on Facebook that you know isn’t true?

How to Become a Vaccine Advocate

It is time to speak up and speak out against anti-vaccine misinformation.

It’s time to become a vaccine advocate.

Most importantly, post and share stories when you or your family get a vaccine!

Share your #flushotselfie and let folks know you got vaccinated and protected.
Share your #flushotselfie and let folks know you got vaccinated and protected.

And be skeptical when you see or hear something that is anti-vaccine, especially when they are talking about toxins, vaccine-induced diseases, Big Pharma, vaccine choice, mandatory vaccination, the benefits of natural immunity, or when they are trying to sell you their books, videos, seminars, or supplements.

If nothing else, drop a link to the vaxopedia whenever someone posts something about vaccines that you just know isn’t true.

More on How to Become a Vaccine Advocate

Do Anti-Vaccine Parents Ever Change Their Minds?

Most anti-vaccine folks think that nothing could ever change their minds and get them to vaccinate and protect their kids ever again.

Even if they don’t believe any of the current evidence that vaccines are safe and necessary, what if we showed them some new evidence?

Nope.

They have ‘woken up’ and won’t be convinced.

Do Anti-Vaccine Parents Ever Change Their Minds?

Of course, folks change their minds all of the time.

They learn to see past the myths and propaganda of the anti-vaccine movement and they eventually get their kids vaccinated.

A megachurch in Texas that was the site of a large measles outbreak quickly hosted free vaccination clinics.
A megachurch in Texas that was the site of a large measles outbreak quickly hosted free vaccination clinics.

Unfortunately, it sometimes takes an outbreak to get them motivated to do so, or their child actually catching a vaccine-preventable disease.

Remember the Disneyland measles outbreaks in California?

“I’ve given more measles, mumps, rubella vaccines in the past 10 days than I gave in the entire 12 months previously.”

Dr. Jay Gordon on Demand for Measles Vaccine Sends Crowds Even to Anti-Vax Docs

Other times, it is a good pediatrician who doesn’t pander to their fears, and instead, answers their questions about vaccines and helps them understand the risks (very small) and benefits (very big) of getting vaccinated and protected.

Or they might have a friend, family member, or other immunization advocate that helps them be more skeptical of the information and advice that is scaring them away from vaccines.

Remember. The great majority of parents vaccinate their kids. And those that don’t, do often change their minds.

More on When Anti-Vaxxers Change Their Minds

Who’s Who in the Anti-Vaccine Movement

No, this isn’t another article about Andy Wakefield or Jenny McCarthy.

Defining the Anti-Vaccine Movement

The great majority of people know that vaccine work and that they are safe and necessary.

And then there are the folks who don’t.

“The term movement as a description for vaccine deniers is also very misleading. A movement implies the image of a powerful, coordinated group, united by a shared collective identity.”

WHO on How to respond to vocal vaccine deniers in public

It is important to understand that this minority of people who do not believe in vaccines do not have uniform beliefs. Calling them a movement is simply for convenience, as a way to group them all together.

Who’s Who in the Anti-Vaccine Movement

So who are the different types of people that you might come across in various discussions about vaccines?

More importantly, why do you want to know?

You don’t want to think that everyone who questions the safety or efficacy of vaccines is totally anti-vaccine and is going to refuse some or all vaccines. Some of these parents really do just have questions, want to get educated, and may have just been scared by misinformation. On the other hand, others won’t change their minds no matter what new evidence you bring to the table or how long you talk.

“Although many may characterize all individuals who eschew vaccines as “anti-vaccine” or “vaccine deniers,” in reality there is a broad spectrum of individuals who choose not to have themselves or their children vaccinated.”

Tara C Smith on Vaccine Rejection and Hesitancy: A Review and Call to Action

However you characterize the groups, you will be much less frustrated when talking about vaccines if can quickly recognize if you are talking to someone who is:

  • a go along to get along immunization acceptor – this type of cautious acceptor understands and accepts that vaccines work and that they are safe and necessary, but still may have some doubts about one or more vaccines.
  • an immunization advocate – understands, accepts, and helps teach others that vaccines work and that they are safe and necessary.
  • a vaccine denier – someone who does not accept the process of vaccination while denying scientific evidence and employing rhetorical arguments to give the false appearance of legitimate debate. These are the vaccine rejectors who are “unyieldingly entrenched in their refusal to consider vaccine information.”
  • vaccine hesitant – usually a classic fence-sitter, who has doubts about whether vaccines are really safe or necessary or has simply been scared and influenced about something they read on the Internet. They may skip or delay some vaccines, but are typically willing to listen to why getting their child fully vaccinated is their best and safest option.
  • a vaccine refuser – doesn’t vaccinate their kids or themselves, but unlike the vaccine denier, probably doesn’t have very strong beliefs in conspiracy theories and may be willing to listen if you address their concerns about vaccines. They are also sometimes called the vaccine resistant. Often seem to put aside their beliefs against vaccines in special circumstances, like during outbreaks or other high risk situations.
  • a vaccine skeptic – this term is often misused, as classically, a vaccine skeptic would be defined as a person who has questions about vaccines, but then accepts that they are safe and necessary once they have examined all of the evidence. As a skeptic, they would also question all of the “science” of the anti-vaccine movement too, and would find it lacking. Folks who question vaccines, but then ignore all of the evidence that supports their safety and effectiveness are in denial – they are not vaccine skeptics.
  • a vocal vaccine denier – a vaccine denier who influences others, especially on the Internet.
  • one of the worrieds – often immunization acceptors who are still a little worried about vaccine side effects.

What about those who say that they are pro-safe vaccines or pro-choice about vaccines?

Don’t be fooled, these are simply anti-vaccine arguments of a vaccine denier or refuser.

Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey went on a mission to Green Our Vaccines in 2008.
Jenny McCarthy and Jim Carrey went on a mission to Green Our Vaccines in 2008. How would you classify them?

Still having trouble telling the groups apart?

Try asking the person you are talking to what would change their mind about vaccines.

Would new evidence work? Or would they dismiss any new evidence as being biased, just as they already dismiss all of the evidence that  so strongly supports that vaccines are safe and necessary?

It is important to identify who’s who, because while you will likely not change the mind of someone who is at the stage of being a vaccine denier, you have a much better chance to help the others get their kids vaccinated and protected.

What to Know About Defining the Anti-Vaccine Movement

The anti-vaccine movement includes a lot of different groups of people, from those who are simply hesitant because a friend or family member is scaring them on Facebook to the vocal vaccine denier, who probably wouldn’t even change their mind if they were bitten by a rabid dog.

More About Defining the Anti-Vaccine Movement