Posted on 02/11/2015 6:47:51 AM PST by Kaslin
There has been much debate recently over vaccination mandates, particularly in response to the measles outbreak currently taking place throughout the country.
At this juncture, there have been 102 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. during 2015, with 59 of them linked to a December 2014 visit to the Disneyland theme park in Southern California. (It is important to note that 11 of the cases associated with Disneyland were detected last year and, consequently, fall within the 2014 measles count.) This large outbreak has spread to at least a half-dozen other states, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently requesting that all health care professionals "consider measles when evaluating patients with febrile rash and ask about a patient's vaccine status, recent travel history and contact with individuals who have febrile rash illness."
One must understand that there is no specific antiviral therapy for measles and that 90 percent of those who are not vaccinated will contract measles if they are indeed exposed to the virus. This explains why Arizona health officials are monitoring more than 1,000 people after potential exposure to measles. These are pretty staggering numbers that should concern not only parents and children, but also the general populace.
I have been asked many times throughout the past week for my thoughts concerning the issue of vaccines. The important thing is to make sure the public understands that there is no substantial risk from vaccines and that the benefits are very significant. Although I strongly believe in individual rights and the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit, I also recognize that public health and public safety are extremely important in our society. Certain communicable diseases have been largely eradicated by immunization policies in this country. We should not allow those diseases to return by forgoing safety immunization programs for philosophical, religious or other reasons when we have the means to eradicate them.
Obviously, there are exceptional situations to virtually everything, and we must have a mechanism whereby those can be heard. Nevertheless, there is public policy and health policy that we have to pay attention to regarding this matter. We already have policies in place at schools that require immunization records -- this is a positive thing. Studies have shown over the course of time that the risk-benefit ratio for vaccination is grossly in favor of being vaccinated as opposed to not.
There is no question that immunizations have been effective in eliminating diseases such as smallpox, which was devastating and lethal. When you have diseases that have been demonstrably curtailed or eradicated by immunization, why would you even think about not doing it? Certain people have discussed the possibility of potential health risks from vaccinations. I am not aware of scientific evidence of a direct correlation. I think there probably are people who may make a correlation where one does not exist, and that fear subsequently ignites, catches fire and spreads. But it is important to educate the public about what evidence actually exists.
I am very much in favor of parental rights for certain types of things. I am in favor of you and I having the freedom to drive a car. But do we have a right to drive without wearing our seatbelts? Do we have a right to text while we are driving? Studies have demonstrated that those are dangerous things to do, so it becomes a public safety issue. You have to be able to distinguish our rights versus the rights of the society in which we live, because we are all in this thing together. We have to be cognizant of the other people around us, and we must always bear in mind the safety of the population. That is key, and that is one of the responsibilities of government.
I am a small-government person, and I greatly oppose government intrusion into everything. Still, it is essential that we distinguish between those things that are important and those things that are just intruding upon our basic privacy. Whether to participate in childhood immunizations would be an individual choice if individuals were the only ones affected, but as previously mentioned, our children are part of our larger community. None of us lives in isolation. Your decision does not affect only you -- it also affects your fellow Americans.
What would be better for the nation would be to close the borders.
Not a word about whether the invaders who deluged our southern border brought Measles and other diseases with them. Not a word acknowledging that no cause of Autism has been established. Not a word about the number of these cases that are infants under one year old in day care centers...how about rallying against that? No acknowledgement that the media and medical community barrage has been very one-sided and condescending. And under 150 cases is an epidemic?....not.
Vaccines are to make the rich richer and the common folk susceptible to mass murder.
Interesting how the narrative was redirected from the flood of non vaccinated immigrant children already sick with measles to just plain vaccinations. Wouldn’t be PC to blame the illegal border jumpers that were given free distribution across the country via the federal government.
Listen to him!
Earth to Dr. Carson! This is not about US getting vaccinated! It's about bringing in tens of thousands, if not millions, of children and adults who are bringing who knows what diseases with them.
For the love of.....
Problem is, both government and science are starting to come up short on the issue of trust.
You guys earn the trust. It’s not bestowed upon you blindly by the people.
Right. Primary prevention, Dr. Carson.
First isolate the disease instead of promoting its spread.
Following Federal law on Illegal immigration and adhering to the US Constitution and Bill Rights would also be a good thing for the nation...but this current administration doesn’t think so...it’s all just open for anyone to do anything now a days...
Interesting take on modern meds...
Huh?
It is highly unlikely that the measles came from the illegals. Measles vaccination rates in Mexico and Central America are as high or higher than here in the U.S., and measles cases are essentially non-existent there (as here).
There’s been a focus on ebola and measles, but the influx is most certainly responsible for the spread of Enterovirus D68. That disease has caused more damage here than the two previously mentioned. Given its source and effects, it’s no wonder the press ignores it.
Blame that arrogant pos occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and the Demonrats for it who insist that illegals be allowed to come into this country. They are the ones who bring the diseases with them
Huh?
It’s idiotic if you ask me
It’s idiotic
The problem is that some people think that Playboy models and comedians know just as much about medicine as doctors and biologists.
Get the mercury out...and then I’ll think about it.
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