Tag: vaccine deaths

V is for Vaccine

The California Assembly Appropriations Committee votes Friday on SB276. Today anti-vaccine folks in Californians who oppose this bill gathered at the state capitol encouraging legislators to continue to allow doctors to write fake medical exemptions.

There was plenty of violent imagery on display at the V for Vaccine rally. How many times did RFK, Jr mention guns and homicide?

In addition to the anti-vaccine propaganda signs that we are getting used to seeing, folks got to hear from the usual suspects.

V is for Vaccine Rally

Surprisingly, Robert F Kennedy, Jr started things off.

Why is that a surprise?

Well, he’s not from California…

He does do a good job of pushing anti-vaccine misinformation.

And it’s all stuff we have heard before.

But he added some new stuff that was suprising.

“They are saying that… any child who is unvaccinated has ever passed measles to another child in a school since 1963. No evidence.”

Robert Kennedy, JR

What?

Although the first measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, it took some time before measles was brought under control and the endemic spread finally eliminated in the United States (2000).

Who was his pediatrician?

No evidence indeed!

He goes on about the MMR being a failed vaccine and that no one should be worried about the unvaccinated if they are vaccinated and protected.

Kennedy even claimed that he read a protocol from Johns Hopkins and not only does it not say anything about immunocompromised people staying away from the unvaccinated, but he says it warns about shedding from the recently vaccinated!

“The increased risk of disease in the pediatric population, in part because of increasing rates of vaccine refusal and in some circumstances more rapid loss of immunity, increases potential exposure of immunodeficient children. The immunosuppressed subject is particularly at risk in crowded living conditions because of the spread of these diseases by aerosol droplets or through the oral-fecal route.”

Medical Advisory Committee of the Immune Deficiency Foundation. Recommendations for live viral and bacterial vaccines in immunodeficient patients and their close contacts

I don’t know what protocol from Johns Hopkins he might have read, but maybe he should have read the Medical Advisory Committee of the Immune Deficiency Foundation. Recommendations for live viral and bacterial vaccines in immunodeficient patients and their close contacts. It clearly warns about the risks of being around someone who is unvaccinated.

Next up was Joshua Coleman.

“These are all undisputed facts. Everyone should know these things.”

Joshua Coleman

Coleman is talking about the “facts” on his anti-vaccine propaganda signs.

He basically hit every anti-vaccine talking point that there is…

We also heard about hot lots and Vaccine Court compensation claims.

“Cesar Chavez did this. We are the new Cesar Chavez generation.”

Latinos for Medical Freedom

Cesar Chavez did not work to put kids at risk for life-threatening vaccine preventable diseases!

Who did the V is for Vaccine Rally end with?

Del Bigtree.

Is he anti-vaccine?

He says that he is against forced vaccination, which makes you wonder why he is there, as there is no forced vaccination in the United States.

He also says that he has debunked the idea of herd immunity!

“Gavin Newsom if you can hear me, please, please ask yourself, what is the need for this law?”

Del Bigtree

What’s the need for SB276?

How about all of the abuse of medical exemptions that has led to clusters of unvaccinated kids in California schools?

To be very clear – SB276 doesn’t eliminate medical exemptions.

It stops doctors from writing inappropriate medical exemptions.

“My concern with this bill, is that it’s going to take every exemption I’ve ever done under those guidelines, which are not restricted to CDC contraindications – under those old guidelines, they can now review every single one of my exemptions I’ve done and disqualify each and every one of them and kick those kids out of school. They are sort of retroactively changing the guidelines – so all of the exemptions that I’ve ever done, and other physicians have ever done, and to me that’s a very very concerning precedence for a government to go back like that and negate years of medical care that’s been done legally and properly under the guidelines of 277.”

Bob Sears SB 276 Assembly Health Committee Testimony

SB276 is needed because too many doctors took advantage of SB277.

And because too many parents are scared to vaccinate their kids because they listen to folks like Del talk about mercury in vaccines, VAERS, 400 deaths a year from vaccines, vaccinated vs unvaccinated studies, placebo studies, infant mortality rates, and the rise in childhood illness because our kids get 72 vaccines.

“What else needs to be said?”

Del Bigtree

It should be clear what else needs to be said…

The Catholic Church teaches that it is lawful to get vaccinated to protect "our children, public health, and the common good."
The Catholic Church teaches that it is lawful to get vaccinated to protect “our children, public health, and the common good” and that we have a “moral obligation to protect the life and health of their children and those around them.”

Stop listening to these folks and their misinformation.

Anti-vax folks will never win if they try to talk about science, but they will lose even faster if they use people to push their agenda.
Anti-vax folks will never win if they try to talk about science, but they will lose even faster if they use people to push their agenda.

Vaccines are safe, with few risks, and they are obviously necessary.

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About Those Anti-Vaccine Signs Some Folks Are Making

Sadly, even as some of us are working to fight measles outbreaks, others are actually protesting against getting kids vaccinated and protected. And they have gotten someone to finance the making of hundreds of anti-vaccine signs.

Signs that list the typical anti-vaccine talking points that we have been refuted a thousand times…

About Those Anti-Vaccine Signs Some Folks Are Making

Not surprisingly, there is nothing new about these signs.

It will be nearly impossible to eradicate measles with all of these folks scaring parents away from vaccinating and protecting their kids!
It will be nearly impossible to eradicate measles with all of these folks scaring parents away from vaccinating and protecting their kids!

Remember, every anti-vaccine argument is essentially a PRATT, a point refuted a thousand times.

72 vaccines??? Kids routinely get 14 different vaccines to protect them against 16 different vaccine-preventable diseases
72 vaccines??? Kids routinely get 14 different vaccines to protect them against 16 different vaccine-preventable diseases.

Whether it is in a book, on Facebook or Twitter, or on a sign, don’t let this type of anti-vaccine misinformation keep you from vaccinating and protecting your kids.

Vaccines are safe, with few risks, and are obviously necessary.

“One is morally free to use the vaccine regardless of its historical association with abortion. The reason is that the risk to public health, if one chooses not to vaccinate, outweighs the legitimate concern about the origins of the vaccine. This is especially important for parents, who have a moral obligation to protect the life and health of their children and those around them.”

National Catholic Bioethics Center FAQ on the Use of Vaccines

“A moral obligation” to vaccinate your kids…

Maybe we should put that on a sign!

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Anaphylaxis After Vaccines

Anaphylaxis after vaccines is a well known side effect, but just how common is it?

Anaphylaxis After Vaccines

Since it is listed as a possible reaction to nearly all vaccines and it can be life-threatening, anaphylaxis must be fairly common, right?

“Vaccine providers should be familiar with identifying immediate-type allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, and be competent in treating these events at the time of vaccine administration. Providers should also have a plan in place to contact emergency medical services immediately in the event of a severe acute vaccine reaction.”

Preventing and Managing Adverse Reactions

After all, pediatricians even get warned to have a plan in place and to be prepared to treat children just in case they develop anaphylaxis after getting their vaccines.

Your pediatrician will likely have an EpiPen in the office in case your child has an anaplylactic reaction after his vaccines.
Epi Is Readily Available to Treat Most Kids with Anaphylaxis After Vaccines

Still, most probably have never had to.

“Any medication can cause a severe allergic reaction. Such reactions to a vaccine are estimated at about 1 in a million doses, and would happen within a few minutes to a few hours after the vaccination.”

Possible Side-effects from Vaccines

And that’s because anaphylaxis after vaccines is very rare.

Anaphylaxis After Vaccines is Rarely Fatal

And suprisingly, it is even more rare for these cases to be fatal!

“All 30 patients with anaphylaxis survived (9 reports specified anaphylaxis, and we classified another 21 as probable cases, based on compatible clinical features, including respiratory and skin symptoms within 4 hours after vaccination). In half of 22 detailed reports, symptoms developed within 15 minutes after vaccination.”

Wise et al on Postlicensure Safety Surveillance for Varicella Vaccine

But that study just looked at the chicken pox vaccine and used VAERS, so we have to be concerned about under-reporting, right? Well, not necessarily. Under-reporting likely isn’t a big problem for serious reactions.

Anyway, that’s not the only study…

“We identified 33 confirmed vaccine-triggered anaphylaxis cases that occurred after 25,173,965 vaccine doses. The rate of anaphylaxis was 1.31 (95% CI, 0.90-1.84) per million vaccine doses.”

McNeill et al on Risk of anaphylaxis after vaccination in children and adults

The McNeill study used the Vaccine Safety Datalink, which unlike VAERS, is not a passive reporting system. So there is no concern about underreporting.

And like the Wise study, there were no deaths among these vaccine-triggered anaphylaxis cases.

“Fatalities from vaccine-induced anaphylaxis are exceedingly rare.”

Adverse reactions to vaccines practice parameter 2012 update

Similarly, a study in the UK found rare reports of anaphylaxis after vaccines in children and all those children made a full recovery.

Parents should understand that while anaphylaxis is a known side effect to getting a vaccine, it is extremely rare, and can usually be treated. This once again reinforces that vaccines are safe!

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Del Bigtree’s Caught on Tape Claim

Del Bigtree responded predictably to John Rushing’s report, The Viral Threat: Measles and Misinformation.

Why doesn't Del just explain what he said in the interview?
Why doesn’t Del just explain what he said in the interview?

Del, who produced VAXXED, complains that it was a one-sided hit piece. And implies that his interview was the result of editing.

Behind the Scenes with Del Bigtree

Del was given a lot more than just a words in the final edit.

For example, when given an opportunity, Del doesn’t explain his own conflict of interests because he doesn’t seem understand them.

“I’m simply finding the information as I find it.”

Del Bigtree

And if you notice, there are no cuts in Del Bigtree’s scenes.

John Rushing: The numbers the way you’re using them though, it implicitly warns against using them that way.

Del Bigtree: Yeah. Yes.

John Rushing: You’re saying that there are 412 deaths last year.

Del Bigtree: I – no. What I’m saying is there’s 412 reported deaths. I never said there were 412 confirmed deaths reported.

John Rushing: So, so some of those causes of death on VAERS

Del Bigtree: Yeah.

John Rushing: one was a drowning.

Del Bigtree: Sure.

John Rushing: One was from co-sleeping. One was from a pre-existing heart condition. There’s no – because a death is reported in VAERS – there’s no way to show causation to the vaccine.

Del Bigtree: Okay.

John Rushing: But in watching your speech and watching your show – man, you would come away thinking 400 people died from vaccines last year.

Del Bigtree: Okay.

John Rushing: And then I can start to see

Del Bigtree: Okay.

John Rushing: where they get the number. And then I go to the source and the source says “don’t use the number that way.”

The Viral Threat: Measles and Misinformation

Del wants you to think that he had a lot more to say in those scenes, things that were edited out, but Rushing didn’t cut away.

Del knows that the deaths in VAERS aren’t confirmed vaccine deaths, even though he never says that on his show. But if he explained that, he wouldn’t be able to scare people with “vaccine deaths” anymore.

Del Bigtree’s Caught on Tape Claim

There is also no “big reveal” as the HIGHWIRE cameras kept rolling, as Del claims.

“I vaccinated mine, but I wasn’t aware of this issue. Although one of my neighbors, who is very intelligent and who I respect a lot, who did vaccinate their kids and one of them has autism. Uh, is a believer in this and she sent me, well a ton of your information before I started this story. And we don’t invalidate the way people like her feel at all.”

John Rushing

Or any “other side” of John Rushing that agreed with Del Bigtree.

What does he agree to at the end of his talk with Del?

Del is explaining how he doesn’t think that parents are making a knee-jerk reaction when they blame vaccines for their “injured children.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

John Rushing

What is he agreeing to?

Del Bigtree is once again caught using messaging that hurts autistic families.
Del Bigtree is once again caught using messaging that hurts autistic families.

Maybe he is agreeing that parents aren’t making a knee-jerk reaction, but more than anything, it sounds like he is just being polite.

He is certainly not agreeing with Del that there are no safety studies, that VAERS is a slopping system, or even that parents should blame themselves.

Not surprisingly, Del’s caught on tape claims were enough to satisfy his followers, who have already forgotten that he admitted to misleading them about VAERS reports. Hopefully, they soon realize that misinformation about vaccines is keeping them from vaccinating and protecting their kids.

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