Remember last fall when people were crazy over Ebola? There were lots of stories about a possible Ebola vaccine in the near future and people seemed to think that was a great idea. Then, the election happened and Ebola dropped off the 24/7 news cycle.
It's months later and now it seems measles is in the news along with the anti-vaxxer controversy. There are tons of diaries out there posting the rebuttals to the anti-vaxxer rhetoric. My personal experience with anti-vaxxers was that they simply don't make any sense and I didn't waste much time attempting to cajole them into deciding to use vaccines.
While anti-vaxxers talk about personal freedoms, I'm thinking about personal responsibility and wondering if it's worth it to try and challenge the anti-vaxxer.
While they talk about quack science, I'm thinking how to cut them off and demand peer reviewed, published factual data from a respected source and wondering if they comprehend just how nonsensical their position is.
Somehow, the anti-vaxxers got a toe hold on respectability. Too many medical professionals get "squishy" when talking to patients about their immunization fears because they fear they will lose their patients to a more "sympathetic" doctor. Not all, some. Too many don't give enough push back when parents to opt out of immunizations. The number of anti-vaxxers is growing not shrinking. I'm just as bad. As a trained health care risk manager, I should promote vaccination, but I usually say something like, "What did the doctor tell you to do?" and change the subject if I think the anti-vaxxer is about to make a scene. Why? Because, I don't want the medical staff angry with me overstepping my boundaries.
In some ways those of us who chose to get our immunizations on time and get our children inoculated have allowed the anti-vaxxers within our social circles more than a toe hold. We've respected their position enough to let them endanger the rest of us and allowed them to grow in numbers without challenge. We don't demand honest argument from anti-vaxxers. I don't challenge my friends when they spew anti-vaxxer hog wash, but maybe I should rethink that. I would never drive my car unless everyone is buckled in, then maybe I should have a similar approach to immunization.
