- CDC: Whooping rising at alarming rate in US, this could prove the worst year since 1959 – GO GET VACCINATED! And tell everyone you know, especially anyone who’s around children, to get vaxed too! From scribe999.
- Bachmann hunts for traiterous Muslims; McCain shames her – Muslim hunting/shaming, it’s not just for Tennessee!
- Pick up site given press pass at Comic Con? – From Jacqueline.
- Obamacare and CAM – “The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act…has the potential of putting a significant dent in this forced coverage of pseudoscientific health care.” From Paul.
- Cute Animal Friday! Lemon beagle vs. lemon. From nowoo, the 50 cutest things that ever happened. And from heliconia, spoon-billed sandpiper chicks (when they hatch they’re the size of honeybees!).
Amanda,
Whooping cough is on the rise again? You’re right people better get vaccinate, and now is as good a time as any to oppose the Anti-Vaccine people and their Pseudoscience.
Scary part is, the article says most of the cases are in people who HAVE been vaccinated.
Absinthia,
You’re probably still much less likely to get if you have been vaccinated.
Won’t get an argument from me. My thoughts were running along the lines of “The evolution of this disease is scary,” when I posted my comment.
In absolute numbers, yes. Bacterial vaccines are highly effective at reducing the severity of infection but a bit less effective at preventing infection. Even with a highly effective vaccine, it will not confer immunity for some people.
Also, what does “vaccinated” mean in this context? Had the vaccine as an infant? Pertussis needs to be boosted every 5 years. Were all of these people up to date on their boosters? Many adults don’t receive their boosters because it isn’t a priority for most pcps or their adult patients. And then there are all those adults who cannot afford preventive care. Also, vaccines can be expensive to keep in stock and the reimbursement for them is frequently not equal to that cost.
Regardless, ensuring that the most people possible have been fully vaccinated and boosted is our best chance of eliminating disease. The provisions for free preventive care in the ACA will help us achieve this.
Does anyone know about the situation with pertussis boosters in the UK? I went to the doctor recently (for a different reason) and while I was there asked about which vaccines I should be up to date with as my partner and I are planning on trying to conceive soon. The only one she mention was rubella, because that can affect the fetus, and when I asked about pertussis she just looked very confused as to why I’d want it and said that no one had ever asked her before. I see that in the US and Australia they recommend a booster for people planning on becoming parents, but it doesn’t seem to be a recommendation in the UK. Anyone have any extra info? I’m not sure if I should insist on it, or just do things the UK way.
There is no adult booster in the UK (A booster is given at age 4 at the age of starting school here)for whooping cough, wish there was though its a horrible illness I got it when I was nine because my parents were sucked into the health scare in the 70s when I was born. I’ve just had a baby and I can’t wait until she has had all her injections kind of counting the days till her 3 month ones.
The Bachmann situation has changed since this article was written. She has now accused her fellow congressman, Keith Ellison of being associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. I think she may be headed for a censuring after this. Even a Republican-controlled House is likely to be dumbfounded by this.
Another cute animal that my friend shared with me today, Puppy Cam! http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/service-puppy-cam
The whooping cough article is scary because I’m currently 8 months pregnant. I will definently get my child vaccinated (and would have regardless)
Ugh I have to stop visiting mommy boards. Apparently, according to anti vax moms, SIDS and autism are now in the DTAP vaccine. I only glanced at the thread title so I’m not exactly sure what they mean but it was enough to raise my blood pressure.
Anti vax propaganda spreads like wild fire on mommy boards.
Haha! I’m already vaccinated for whooping cou—
FUCK! That reminds me that I need to get vaccinated for two of the Hepatitises. I don’t remember which; they all have letters after their names.