First of all, it isn't that simple and second, it isn't even close to the truth!
Thanks to social network I have been suffering through many, many, far too many discussions about whether to vaccinate children or not.
It feels like there is a huge group of self-appointed "vaccination rebels" who spend their days patting each-other on the shoulder for being "so strong despite what all these mean scientists and naive mothers have to say".
I know, I know, I will be under verbal attack as soon as this goes online. Well, go ahead, I am prepared. But are you? Did you already put on your tinfoil hat? Alright, then let's do this!
Dear anti-vaccination-parents,
let me go through some of your biggest arguments:
Thanks to social network I have been suffering through many, many, far too many discussions about whether to vaccinate children or not.
It feels like there is a huge group of self-appointed "vaccination rebels" who spend their days patting each-other on the shoulder for being "so strong despite what all these mean scientists and naive mothers have to say".
I know, I know, I will be under verbal attack as soon as this goes online. Well, go ahead, I am prepared. But are you? Did you already put on your tinfoil hat? Alright, then let's do this!
Dear anti-vaccination-parents,
let me go through some of your biggest arguments:
1. Vaccines cause Autism.
Let me ask you something? Where Did you get this "info" from? Doctor Google? Someone told you?
In 1998, the English medical journal "The Lancet" published a paper claiming that there is a link between the MMR vaccine and Autism. BUT: investigations discovered that the author, Andrew Wakefield (yes, THIS is a good moment for using google), had fudged the data. Here is the orginal Lancet study that had been retracted! http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2897%2911096-0/abstract
If you want to read the truth, then check out the second Lancet study that says that there is no evidence for any links between vaccines and Autism: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2899%2901239-8/abstract
2. The ingredients are poisonous.
Everybody cries: there is MERCURY in it! Yes, that is right. BUT there are two different kind of mercury: one (ethyl mercury) that gets flushed out of the body and one that is bad for you (methyl mercury). The "good" kind is the one that you can find in vaccines (in a minimal dose). Oh, and if you are scared by the other one, stop eating tuna.
3. It is MY business whether I have my kid vaccinated ot not.
Let me ask you something? Where Did you get this "info" from? Doctor Google? Someone told you?
In 1998, the English medical journal "The Lancet" published a paper claiming that there is a link between the MMR vaccine and Autism. BUT: investigations discovered that the author, Andrew Wakefield (yes, THIS is a good moment for using google), had fudged the data. Here is the orginal Lancet study that had been retracted! http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2897%2911096-0/abstract
If you want to read the truth, then check out the second Lancet study that says that there is no evidence for any links between vaccines and Autism: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2899%2901239-8/abstract
2. The ingredients are poisonous.
Everybody cries: there is MERCURY in it! Yes, that is right. BUT there are two different kind of mercury: one (ethyl mercury) that gets flushed out of the body and one that is bad for you (methyl mercury). The "good" kind is the one that you can find in vaccines (in a minimal dose). Oh, and if you are scared by the other one, stop eating tuna.
3. It is MY business whether I have my kid vaccinated ot not.
Sorry to mess with your freedom but this is simply not true. You have a responsability there, not only for your own child but also for all the others that might meet yours. The key word here is herd immunity. If a certain amount (at least 83 %) of people vaccinate against a disease, it has trouble spreading. I know, I know. Now, you wanna say: "See, then my kid WILL be protected no matter what." Why, wouldn't that be neat? Unfortunately, the more "vaccination rebels" we have, the bigger is the risk of sicknesses spreading again. There are people, that can't be vaccinated due to age (some vaccines can't be used before a specific age) or certain medical conditions. These people could die meeting your un-vaccinated child.
I could go on about this topic for a long time, but let me share the following comic with you instead (made by Science cartoonist and blogger Maki Naro), since it is extremely entertaining and sums up all the facts really nicely:
https://thenib.com/vaccines-work-here-are-the-facts-5de3d0f9ffd0#.boxvh57d1
It is already late and since my 4 kids are early birds, I won't add more to this post now.
But if you are still unconvinced, please share your reasons of non-vaccinating with me. I will gladly disprove them tomorrow ;)
I could go on about this topic for a long time, but let me share the following comic with you instead (made by Science cartoonist and blogger Maki Naro), since it is extremely entertaining and sums up all the facts really nicely:
https://thenib.com/vaccines-work-here-are-the-facts-5de3d0f9ffd0#.boxvh57d1
It is already late and since my 4 kids are early birds, I won't add more to this post now.
But if you are still unconvinced, please share your reasons of non-vaccinating with me. I will gladly disprove them tomorrow ;)
