no really - absolutely madness. Do parents in the US not realise how good they have it with measles not circulating and their babies protected? We are 10 weeks into the year, not quite 20% and the CDC reports 71 cases of measles. SEVENTYONE! In 10 weeks! That is as many as in the entire year 2009 and more than in 2010 and 2012.
7 cases in Orange County. 19 in New York - 5 of those hospitalised - that is a quarter. Honestly? What is this? The Middle Ages? The potential for further spread and infection of vulnerable, young, old, sick, immuno-suppressed is horrendous - look at this from the Orange County outbreak:
SEVEN possible exposures in 5 different hospitals/doctors' practises, TWO different schools exposed, with 1 (only - luckily) and 13 kids with philosophical exemptions respectively. What will it take for people to sober up? For uneducated C-rated starlets to shut up and get their child appropriate medical care? Will a child have to die?
It is time for vaccinating parents to speak up. Stop being tolerant of your friends' and neighbours' vaccine denial. Tell them that what they are doing is unacceptable and dangerous. Start asking questions at your daycare centers, schools, doctors' offices - how many of their pupils/patients are unvaccinated out of personal choice. Tell them it is not acceptable and dangerous to be complacent. Speak up.
It is time for vaccinating parents to speak up. Stop being tolerant of your friends' and neighbours' vaccine denial. Tell them that what they are doing is unacceptable and dangerous. Start asking questions at your daycare centers, schools, doctors' offices - how many of their pupils/patients are unvaccinated out of personal choice. Tell them it is not acceptable and dangerous to be complacent. Speak up.
This is why my practice will no longer see children of families who electively do not vaccinate their children. I do not need an older unvaccinated child with measles coming into my practice's waiting room and infecting newborns or older children with compromised immune systems.
ReplyDeleteChrist - I saw the story of Micha's and Natalie's doctor and how he reconstructed where and when they got infected in his practise - what an absolute nightmare to be losing two patients like that :(
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