Tag: vaccine choice

Did Police Block an Unvaccinated Girl from Getting Into School?

Anti-vax folks have been talking a lot about segregation, discrimination and civil rights lately. What’s the latest? Comparing new vaccine laws that eliminate non-medical exemptions to folks who tried to stop desegregation in the 1960s.

Parents have a choice about whether or not to vaccinate their kids and send them to school…

Look familiar? As anti-vaccine propaganda? Yes, it does.

Did Police Keep an Unvaccinated Girl from Getting Into School?

Of course, the new pic is a little girl holding a sign saying “I want to go to school.”

Were the two photos taken at the same time, by anti-vaccine protestors inside and outside the building, or did they have her pose again?
Were the two photos taken at the same time, by anti-vaccine protestors inside and outside the building, or did they have her pose again?

Are the police blocking her, keeping her out of school as the photo suggests?

Healthy kids belong in school, unless you pull them out to go to your anti-vaccine protest...
“Healthy kids belong in school,” unless you pull them out to go to your anti-vaccine protest…

Is this about segregation?

Of course not!

The photo of the girl with the police was taken at an anti-vaccine protest at the state Education Department’s headquarters in Albany, New York on Monday, September 9.

“State troopers and Albany police were called in, and the department’s stately front entrances were chained shut temporarily, in a rare safety precaution.

Meanwhile, a monthly meeting of the state’s Board of Regents, originally scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., was delayed about 40 minutes, while officials moved to restore order. “

Angry parents, others opposed to vaccinations crowd Regents meeting

Even though the Board of Regents have no power to reverse a new law in New York that eliminates religious exemptions, “they held a rally and stormed a Board of Regents meeting to demand they have the right to not vaccinate.”

And that’s where the photo of the little girl holding her sign was taken.

Not outside a school, but outside the state Education Department’s headquarters, where police and state troopers were called to restore order during the protest.

This isn’t about civil rights, segregation, or discrimination.

It’s about parents who want to continue not vaccinating their kids, while also being allowed to send those intentionally unvaccinated kids to school.

What’s the problem with that? Those intentionally unvaccinated kids are at higher risk to catch vaccine preventable diseases, which put others at risk, especially those with medical exemptions.

More on Vaccine Segregation and Discrimination

Misinformation About Measles Outbreaks in Texas

Like everywhere else, measles has been on the rise in Texas. And like everywhere else, we have also seen a rise in misinformation about measles and measles outbreaks in Texas.

Why do these folks push misinformation about measles?
Why do these folks push misinformation about measles? #JustAsking

Only three were unvaccinated? Is that true?

Misinformation About Measles Outbreaks in Texas

Actually, when you look at the official statistics, you find that there were only three cases that were known to be fully vaccinated!

Only three of the cases were known to be fully vaccinated and protected against measles!
Only three of the cases were known to be fully vaccinated!

While it is true that only three were known to be fully unvaccinated, there are another five people with unknown status who might also be fully unvaccinated.

And then there are those who are partially vaccinated, with just one dose of MMR. As most folks know, two doses of MMR provide the best protection against measles. Six more of the cases are known to have had just one dose of MMR and another four had an unknown number of doses, so could have been partially vaccinated.

And again, there are the five with unknown status. While it is possible that they were fully vaccinated, or had one dose, it is also very likely that they were unvaccinated.

What can we say for sure?

The claim that “Only THREE out of the twenty-one cases were unvaccinated individuals” in the Texas measles outbreaks isn’t true.

You could just as easily say that “Only THREE out of the twenty-one cases were known to be fully vaccinated individuals.” And at least that statement would be truthful, as it includes the caveat that you are only talking about those with known immunization status…

Were any of the cases in children attending school with an exemption?

At least nine of the cases were in children, but there haven’t been any media reports of outbreaks or exposures in schools, so I am guessing not.

That’s lucky!

Some schools in Texas have very high rates of vaccine exemptions and a case of measles could lead to a big outbreak.

More on the Measles Outbreaks in Texas

The Myth That Measles Never Left

Measles cases are on the rise. Where? Pretty much everywhere. But some folks are still pushing the myth that measles never left.

The highest number of measles cases in over 25 years? Don't call it a comeback?
Don’t call it a comeback? Cases in the US average 283 cases per year over the past 12 years (if you don’t skip 2019…)

It is easy to see that measles myth, like most AV myths, isn’t true.

The Myth That Measles Never Left

In the pre-vaccine era, everyone would get measles.

That translates into about 500,000 reported cases each year. Technically, it was likely closer to about 4 million cases in the United States each year, but either way, we know that lots of people got measles.

Then we got a measles vaccine and not surprisingly, cases of measles dropped. Except for a small uptick from 1989 to 1991, we were on our way to eliminating measles.

And we did, in 2000, when the endemic spread of measles was eliminated in the United States. From then on, all measles cases were imported.

In 2004, we had an historic low of just 37 measles cases in the United States!

Will we ever have fewer than 37 cases in a year?
Will we ever have fewer than 37 cases in a year?

And from 2000 to 2012, we averaged just 87 measles cases each year, which is far below the US average of 283 cases we are now seeing.

No, measles never completely left. It was not eradicated.

But it is certainly making a comeback and soaring to levels that we haven’t seen since 1992!

Just think about it… We had 37 cases of measles in 2004 and this year, we often had 37 cases in a single week!

Get vaccinated and protected so that you don’t get caught up in the next outbreak.

More on Measles Cases

Understanding Immunization Signs That Protestors Carry

Apparently, protesting kids getting vaccinated and protected against life-threatening diseases is now a thing.

Does anyone really think that vaccines are only tested for 4.5 days before being approved by the FDA?
This is just anti-vaccine misinformation in sign form… Do they really think that vaccines are only tested for 4.5 days before being approved by the FDA? Or that kids get 72 vaccines?

Is it a new thing?

Understanding Immunization Signs That Protestors Carry

As anti-vaccine folks get kicked off of social media, they seem to be moving back into the “real world.”

It is important to understand that the signs are pure propaganda and the anti-immunization misinformation on the signs certainly isn’t new…

They all contain anti-vaccine talking points that are easily refuted.

Vaccine mandates don't force anyone to get vaccinated

Forced medicine?

As most of you understand, vaccine mandates don’t force anyone to get vaccinated. They are typically mandates to get vaccinated if you want your kids to attend daycare or school, etc.

Don't believe everything you read on a sign...
What about the choices of those who want to keep their kids safe from vaccine-preventable diseases?

Want your kids to opt out and not get vaccinated? Then in most cases you can keep them home.

Say no to forced vaccines! Except that no one is trying to force you to get vaccinated!!!
Say no to forced vaccines! Except that no one is trying to force you to get vaccinated!!!

You have a choice.

Many vaccines have been tested against placebos.

You would think they would at least try and get their propaganda straight.

9 doses? 24 doses? Which sign is true?
To get to the inflated counts, up to 72 doses, you have to count the DTaP, MMR, and Tdap vaccines as three separate doses. And if you are going to do that, you should always do it, not just NOW to scare folks to make it look like kids get a lot more vaccines than they used to.

One of their signs says kids got 9 doses in 1980 and another says 24. Which is it?

How many doses of vaccines did kids get in the 1960s and 1980s?

How many new vaccines are being developed and tested for release? It ain’t 271 or 300 or whatever number they make up.

This sign misrepresents a study about SIDS which actually “did not detect any concerning patterns that would suggest causal relationships between vaccination and deaths.”

It shouldn’t be a surprise that nothing on the anti-immunization signs you might see is true.

Do these folks have a right to protest?

Sure.

Just like you have a right to ignore them and get your kids vaccinated and protected.

The few folks who protest immunizations today are still dwarfed by all of the people who get vaccinated and protected. In 1962, the line for polio vaccines was so long, that it surrounded a city auditorium in San Antonio, Texas.
The few folks who protest immunizations today are still dwarfed by all of the people who get vaccinated and protected. In 1962, the line for polio vaccines was so long, that it surrounded a city auditorium in San Antonio, Texas. Photo courtesy CDC/ Mr. Stafford Smith.

Remember, vaccines are safe, with few risks, and they are obviously necessary.

More on Anti-Immunization Signs