There is still a great debate about child vaccinations. Parents want the right to not vaccinate their children and communities (most) require children be vaccinated before they enter school.
Because of my status of Army dependent, I have every vaccine that could be given before I entered Kindergarten. The MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) was not available at that time so, as is true with most viruses, my brother, sister and I all had them. By the time Jeremy was born, a vaccine had been developed, and he had that. I had strep throat on top of the mumps, so I was kept in isolation in my brother's bedroom and missed almost a whole month of school.
In 1955, when Jonas Salk released the vaccine for polio, you could not stop parents from making sure their children had that vaccine. It was not tried and true yet, but they sure didn't want to take any chances with their children's' lives.
According to the CDC, the baseline 20th century annual morbidity rate was 16,316. This was the average in the 4 years before the vaccine was developed. By 1998, this number had been decreased to 0. 100% eradicated from the United States. The World Health Organization reports five out of 6 regions of the world are polio free. Polio is still endemic in three countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria.
Two other viruses have been eradicated in the United States: smallpox and diphtheria. Gone.
One Florida senator, Manny Diaz (R) Miami, wants to review all requirements for vaccines, including polio, MMR, Whooping Cough, etc. How many children would be in danger if the state of Florida decided to stop requiring these vaccines for school children. Would polio make a comeback? Would you take that chance?
The year the mumps vaccine was released, 1968, 606 people died from mumps. By 1998, that number had decreased by 99.6%.
Last week, a high school student, 17 years old, died from Covid-19. I did not know her. I did not teach her but I know people who did. She will become another number in this political battle being waged about public health. Why?
When did parents stop worrying about their child's health because politics was the driving force behind the disinformation? What happened to science?
When will those who are so against vaccines wake up? When will parents be able to send their children to school without exposing them to diseases which could be contained, controlled or even eradicated?
How many more kids must die?
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