Anti-vaccinationists are a threat to public health.

Mankind completely eliminated smallpox. One of the most amazing accomplishments. And now we're stuck with measles epidemics in countries where the citizens could get vaccinated.

Many of the measles victims were unvaccinated. But several were babies too young for vaccination. If the populace as a whole were up on its vaccinations, those babies would have had a much better chance of not catching measles.

If any of them die or become permanently disabled, I do hope people who chose to not vaccinate their kids will realize they are partly to blame. Of course, those of them who now have kids with measles may be a bit distracted by the problems within their own family.

The real problem is that you chose for children. But it's the kids who were too young to make an informed choice who are most likely to suffer.

A quick read up on measles points out two scary things.

First, that measles is the disease canary in the coalmine - generally the first disease to make itself obvious when vaccinations fail. But we can expect others back.

Second, that the degree to which a vaccinated person's immunity depends on herd immunity is actually rather large - 1%. That means for every 100 kids at the school who are exposed but vaccinated, one is likely to get it. Put into the context of my high school that means one unvaccinated kid who gets it may turn it into a case of 25 kids. 1 in 100 is actually fairly common.

It's a shame some people are so ignorant that they don't vaccinate.

Oops, sorry, forgot to cite my source: http://www.emaxhealth.com/39/2/24247.html

Came across this today.

Interesting, but it really has no connection to people who refuse vaccinations for their children or themselves. For one thing, flu vaccinations are not standard. They are generally discussed on a case by case basis. It is refusal to get MMR vaccinations, polio vaccinations, etc. that is at issue. Although I believe that refusing tetanus shots only risks yourself (or your child if you refuse the shot for the child). Tetanus is a horrible way to die, but at least it doesn't endanger others.

I immediately thought of my refusal to get the flu vaccination year after year. I never get the flu and many people I know who've had the shot became very ill. Aside from that, which probably wasn't considered when the claim was made, I would agree.

I don't consider that to be an anti-vaccination stance, personally. I can see why you might though. But I view an anti-vaccination stance to be one where you think vaccinations are a bad idea or not worth having. Not one where you view certain vaccinations in particular circumstances as a bad idea. I don't even think flu shots are recommended in every case. I've heard mixed reports about them.

I've never had a flu shot, but I've also never been offered a flu shot.

In my experience, vaccinations are limited and people who have more risk are encouraged to get them. There's a cost-benefit scenario involved.

For things like polio or MMR they give the exact same vaccination every year, so it's easier to make sure you have enough. But with flu shots, they have to try to make a new one each year based on what they think is likely to go around, and that makes it much harder to come up with a lot of them.

But mainly it's that MRM and polio shots are given once. So, you get them and then are done. But things that need updates it's harder to keep up with. I've been turned down for tetanus boosters twice due to shortages and not having an urgent need. If tetanus were a take once and be covered kind of vaccination, then I'd be set. But anything that needs boosters is going to cause problems. And the flu shots are even trickier than the tetanus shots, being yearly and varying.

Yeah, I always skip the flu shots (haven't had the flu since I was 10). As for those booster vaccinations...eh, it's hard to remember when I last got vaccinated, to be honest.

i prefer to let my body tough it out whenever possible, it's good for the immune system. i'm sure i wouldn't think that had i not gotten vaccinations as a child though.

It's true. Death is good for the immune system. Once you get it, you never catch any illnesses ever again.

i was talking about minor illness, but yes, death is the best preventative of all, you pegged it.

Except for chicken pox and flu, which are not generally part of the must-have vaccinations, vaccinations are not given for minor illnesses. And chicken pox is only a minor illness if you get it in childhood.

I'm fine with people not being vaccinated against chicken pox or flu. It's not being vaccinated against major illnesses like measles or polio that I have issues with.