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Why we vaccinate. Part 3

If you’re headed to Dragon*Con this weekend, be sure to swing by the Mall at Peachtree Center. The Skepchicks and the Women Thinking Free Founation will be giving away FREE pertussis (whooping cough) boosters.

Don’t be a victim of the herdless. Don’t be a member of the herdless. Get vaccinated.

Elyse

Elyse MoFo Anders is the bad ass behind forming the Women Thinking, inc and the superhero who launched the Hug Me! I'm Vaccinated campaign as well as podcaster emeritus, writer, slacktivist extraordinaire, cancer survivor and sometimes runs marathons for charity. You probably think she's awesome so you follow her on twitter.

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2 Comments

  1. Slightly off topic, but then not b/c I had to think about vaccinations today. My daughter is a university freshman. Today, univ health services notified us that her medical record was incomplete & she had until 9.17 to comply or they would withdraw her from classes & w/o further compliance she’d be removed from the university. Had no idea what it could possibly be, as we had met their deadlines & dates, etc. Maybe her records were lost in a shuffle somewhere or my fax didn’t complete…

    Turns out, she had not had a tetanus shot in the max allowed 10 yrs & it was overlooked by our GP at her pre-college physical. One phone call by me; a short, free, mildly unpleasant trip to the ‘infirmary’ by her & problem solved.

    While reading some fine print I saw, of course, that up-to-date, MD-confirmed immunizations, are required for admission into any NC university & I’m pleased to learn that they don’t play. Even the meningitis vaccine is now required, only optional not-so-long-ago . The Gardisil vaccine (for women & now young men as well!) is still considered optional. Daughter got both in one day & went back for the 2nd Gardisil dose w/o complaint (6 mos until 3rd & final dose). 20 yrs ago, I went thru abnormal paptests caused by HPV & subsequent treatment for it. I will gladly assist my daughter in pro-actively avoiding similar pain & worry (*death*) w/ this much-welcomed vaccine.

    I don’t understand. I mean, I do; sort of…if I *believed* my child was harmed by a vaccine, I would be freaked. But, I like to think I would do some serious, legit research & do some serious talking to doctors & other parents.

    I guess it’s the same type of emotionalism & willful ignorance that keeps the believers clinging to similar, irrational nonsense. It’s an easy answer to the troublesome question “why?”.

    What will the anti-vacciners do when their kids decide to to go to college? And that’s just one issue. Acceptions for these kids are already being made. Will universities eventually be filled w/ un-immunized students?

    Enjoy your blog! Especially relevant for me today! It’s not just the babies at risk for serious, *preventable* illness, altho they are more vulnerable; it affects young people of all ages. As hard as it is to accept, sometimes, there is no answer to the question “why?”.

  2. To clarify: I use daughter’s tetanus shot as an example. Of course, I know that an outbreak of tetanus is not eminent or on the rise! There’s even a window of time to prevent it after an injury or exposure. I realize it’s not of the same seriousness as pertussis, mumps, rubella and/or similar childhood illnesses!

    And I know, I’m preachin’ to the choir! :D

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