@arkandel I thought the whole point of vaccination was to make you immune to the disease and stop it spreading. So either A) lotta people never got vaccinated/followed up with boosters or B) measels is evolving to combat the vaccinations
@magee101 said in I know it's an old topic but to this day....:
@arkandel I thought the whole point of vaccination was to make you immune to the disease and stop it spreading. So either A) lotta people never got vaccinated/followed up with boosters or B) measels is evolving to combat the vaccinations
It's the first one. Vaccination rates are dropping due to bullshit false narratives about their dangers, and thus measles outbreaks are increasing.
There are also always people who can't get vaccinations for actual reasons, like being immuno-suppressed. So public health relies on everyone who can safely be vaccinated doing so.
@magee101 said in I know it's an old topic but to this day....:
@arkandel I thought the whole point of vaccination was to make you immune to the disease and stop it spreading. So either A) lotta people never got vaccinated/followed up with boosters or B) measels is evolving to combat the vaccinations
Yes, both of those things are needed at the same time. You become immune and because everyone else is immune too the disease dies down due to herd immunity.
@arkandel I guess what I am trying to find more the answer to is, if I am vaxxed and boostered up do I have to give a shit about catching MMR?
@magee101 Depends on how long ago the other kids were vaccinated. Most vaccines have a lifespan, after so many years its up to you as an adult to take care of it. Or in the case of your kids, re-upping the vaccine. As mentioned earlier, the MMR vaccine only has a lifespan of 8-10 years. Most kids last got it when they entered school at like 5-6. Even if the vaccine is still floating around, you can still become a carrier for that disease. Let me know how often adults bother to get re-vaccinated against stuff they haven't dealt with since they were in kindergarten.
@too-old-for-this I got all my boosters at 20, so now at 27 guess I need to rebooster at 28-30?
I work in a hospital and nothing burns my ass more than listening to a nurse advise parents not get their kids vaccinated. It drives me crazy.
@magee101 You would want to check the lifespan for individual vaccines. Some (like the flu vaccine) change or are updated over the years. And this isn't stuff that most people think about. I sure as Hell wouldn't have if my kid hadn't gone out of country and needed boosters on some of his old vaccines.
@magee101 said in I know it's an old topic but to this day....:
@arkandel I guess what I am trying to find more the answer to is, if I am vaxxed and boostered up do I have to give a shit about catching MMR?
I'm not a doctor but according to http://www.immunize.org/askexperts/experts_mmr.asp...
"Why is a second dose of MMR necessary? Between 2% and 5% of people do not develop measles immunity after the first dose of vaccine. This occurs for a variety of reasons. The second dose is to provide another chance to develop measles immunity for people who did not respond to the first dose."
So it sounds like you'd be fine in that case. And if herd immunity was in place even if the first one hadn't caught and you were in that minority it'd still probably not matter.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019
Let the Flat-Earthers work with Creationists/Intelligent Design to undermine the good work of the scientific method if we can only get anti-vaxxing off the bloody World Health Organization's top-ten list of threats to global health.
@too-old-for-this flu vaccine is the only one I dont give a shit about. It mutates far too quickly and I still ended up catching a flu two years in a row getting those stupid shots so I quit getting them.
@roz said in I know it's an old topic but to this day....:
Vaccination rates are dropping due to bullshit false narratives about their dangers, and thus measles outbreaks are increasing.
I think it's a little more systematic than that.
People are working more than ever. Harder than ever. The bullshit false narratives provide a cover for people who cannot afford the vaccinations (due to not being insured, which is a fine-able offense, or just not having the money to cover co-pay even) and/or do not have the ability to take the time out to get them (or make similar excuses to justify not having the opportunity). Rather than admit to possibly being poor and/or lazy, they hook onto the false narrative.
Americans apparently believe themselves to be millionaires who are just down on their luck.
I think there's also a bit of an ivory tower mentality there too. People haven't really had to deal with large scale outbreaks or widespread tragedies in any real sense; and as time passes and it fades from consciousness they start imagining that it can't be as bad as people say it was, or that it just won't happen - and forget the fact that the reason it's not happening is because of the measures previous generations took to prevent it from happening.
My favorite part of the narrative is when the government tells people not to trust the government.
@killer-klown said in I know it's an old topic but to this day....:
I think there's also a bit of an ivory tower mentality there too. People haven't really had to deal with large scale outbreaks or widespread tragedies in any real sense; and as time passes and it fades from consciousness they start imagining that it can't be as bad as people say it was, or that it just won't happen - and forget the fact that the reason it's not happening is because of the measures previous generations took to prevent it from happening.
You mean like how we should dismantle social safety nets and humanist policies because of all of this winning we're enjoying now?
@magee101 There are kids who can't be vaccinated because of medical reasons, and they're at risk from being infected by anti-vaxx kids; also immunocompromised kids and adults, the elderly, etc, are at risk. I was pretty nervous when I went through chemo, though fortunately there's less of an anti-vaxx movement here.
Also, if any of you (god forbid) get cancer, you may be eligible to get the mega booster shots they give you after every infusion to try to keep your immune system numbers up. I got vaccinated against every kind of plague imaginable.
This is similar to the shots they give to bone marrow donors to stimulate cells (it might actually be the same, I don't remember). It was expensive and the bone pain is spectacularly excruciating (I was in much more pain from these than the chemo ever caused-- that was mostly just hair loss, fatigue and severe nausea). But my immune system never got to the point where I had to miss an infusion, and I seemed to not really get anything at all flu-wise for about a year after.
As soon as the effect dropped off, though, I caught every single flu and cold known to man and was sick for six months straight. But I imagine I won't need a booster for anything for at least a decade.
The MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella) is free in Australia, for children. And it's a pittance for adults.
This isn't a socialised vs American healthcare issue that I have. It's a 'there is literally no excuse for not being vaccinated' issue. Measles is spreading throughout my state here in Australia, to the point where schools (when they reopen in a week) will be affected.
Children will get ill and die.
We, over here, roll our eyes whenever another massacre happens in the United States and the rigamarole that surrounds it. This is the same damned thing. I don't care if you don't like getting needles, or you don't believe in vaccination, or whatever. Get the fucking jab and save some lives, you selfish twats.
ETA: Naturally those that are immuno-compromised, or otherwise cannot take vaccinations on medical grounds, are exempt from my rage.
@ganymede Except in most States the county health departments usually give free vaccinations to children, especially right before school starts. I got all my boosters free as well when I was an adult, so there really isn't a money problem involved
Vaccinations, which usually happen on a child's annual yearly visit and/or on well child visits when they're very small should be free--they shouldn't even be charged a copay if you have insurance.
