26 Comments - Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:21 am: Good advice. Most likely a student given the locations. I didn’t see a dorm listed so if the person lives in an apartment that would be good news and less exposure. - Morningstar - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:24 am: I agree that vaccination is important. This assertion usually triggers an avalanche of assertions about the selfishness, stupidity, etc. of those who express doubt about vaccines. The hostility to parents’ concern will not advance their ability to trust information - especially if it is shouted to them, accompanied with allusions of violence, etc. Seriously, there are a subset of parents who do not fall in the category of “anti-vaxxers” but who are also skeptical and concerned. Listening to and addressing their concerns is a much smarter approach than calling them ignorant. There. I’ve said it. Now the avalanche will being. - Morningstar - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:28 am: The Jan 19, 2019 issue of the New York Times had a smart opinion piece, “How to Inoculate Against Anti-Vaxxers.” Their paragraph subtitled “know the audience” is the point I wish to emphasize. - Jocko - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:43 am: I wish the skeptics of vaccination would hold similar skepticism Newton’s laws of gravity and physics. Unfortunately, these Darwin award winners hurt others rather than themselves. - NeveroddoreveN - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:44 am: For parents that choose not to vaccinate their children; How do you protect them from this terrible disease? - wordslinger - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:48 am: –Listening to and addressing their concerns is a much smarter approach than calling them ignorant.– What are these delicate daisies legitimate concerns, those not based on social media nincompoopery or a long-debunked article in an obscure journal by a Brit quack whose medical license was yanked? Please bring your “avalanche” of reason that’s not ignorant or stupid. Can’t wait. - Amalia - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:50 am: vaccinate. it’s science, people. - Stuff Happens - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:50 am: The number of anti-vaccine people commenting on that CUPHD page is insane. If you dig deeper, you see that most of them aren’t even in the C-U community (or Illinois, in some cases). - Fixer - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 11:58 am: Stuff Happens, it’s because that subset of the population has a very close community on social media that flock to pages with stories like this and flood the page with their debunked pseudoscience. - @misterjayem - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:08 pm: “Listening to and addressing their concerns is a much smarter approach than calling them ignorant” There seems to be some confusion — I don’t think these people are ignorant, I think they’re foolish. – MrJM - Precinct Captain - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:09 pm: When I was a student at UIUC I’m pretty sure you had to have up to date vaccination records. - Lester Holt’s Mustache - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:18 pm: Yeah no Morningstar is wrong. My brother-in-law and his wife refuse to vaccinate their two kids and (much like their unwavering support for trump) they refuse to be swayed by silly things like “facts” and “science”. No matter how calmly or rationally vaccination science is explained to them, and no matter who it is that is trying to do the explaining, they refuse to believe anything that goes against their already-held beliefs that vaccinations will make their kids autistic. They are members of a subset of people in this country that absolutely refuse to admit their beliefs are mistaken. It infuriates my wife and her family to no end, but I’m assuming they’ll never change their minds unless the worst happens - titan - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:19 pm: At this point, I’m in the “gentleman of a certain age” category. I grew up knowing a number of people who had survived polio (and told tales of those close to them who did not survive). All of the polio survivors had serious life long problems (partial paralysis, serious heart problems, etc.). Vaccination has essentially eliminated polio. Even if vaccines have a miniscule complication rate (and even if some of the complications are serious), they are way better than the diseases they prevent. - Fav Human - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:19 pm: The Lancet isn’t obscure. It’s one of the most prestigious medical journals there is. That’s what made it all the worse. And even going to a parochial school I had to have my vaccination records before I could start classes. I’m curious how much of this is really anti-vax vs. non vaccinated people from other countries? - Practical Politics - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:36 pm: Get yourself and your children vaccinated. Do not listen to airheads like Jenny McCarthy who are opposed to vaccines. - wordslinger - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:41 pm: –The Lancet isn’t obscure. It’s one of the most prestigious medical journals there is. – It’s obscure to the anti-vaxxer ding-dongs on social media fueling this nonsense. You think any of them ever read it? - ArchPundit - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:50 pm: —I’m curious how much of this is really anti-vax vs. non vaccinated people from other countries? Immigrants who apply for any permanent status must have a full complement of vaccines. There are issues with some immigrants vaccinating their kids born here. It’s important to note *Developing* countries most often have higher rates of vaccination than the United States. Let that sink in . From a Minnesota study “Children with mothers born in Central and South America/Caribbean, Mexico and Africa (excluding Somalia) had higher rates of vaccine compliance compared with children of two U.S.-born parents at all ages, while the lowest percentage of up-to-date children had mothers born in Eastern Europe and Somalia (see figure).” - ArchPundit - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 12:53 pm: There is more and more evidence that the better educated someone is and the more information they are given that contradicts their beliefs in terms of scientific evidence tends to harden the beliefs of the person. So yelling at the folks might be as effective as reasoning with them or even more effective. Or just pass a law you don’t go to school without a specific medical reason for not being able to be vaccinated (compromised immune system mostly). - Morningstar - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 1:09 pm: Gee… and you all seemed like such nice people who are open to civil discourse. Let me clear, I am not talking about the “anti-vaxxer ding-dongs,” the persons with “already-held beliefs,” or the “delicate daisies.” I am suggesting that the tone of the conversation which implies hostility to anyone who dares question the need for or timing of a vaccine potentially prevents the parents who are *not* part of these groups — of whom we have read so much — from expressing their concerns. Rather than raise the question with friends, acquaintances or even healthcare professionals, they opt to stay silent and not vaccinate. Who wants to be attacked for being afraid? There actually are sound (scientific) reasons for having concern - e.g., immuno-suppressed child or sibling of the child to be vaccinated, severe allergies, or even simple complications such as current medications being taken. For these parents, I believe we need to tone down the rhetoric and attitude, listen and respond with helpful guidance. The conspiracy theorists will still continue to rant and post fear-mongering fiction on social media, but let’s not lose the opportunity to educate those who are open to informed guidance. - Fixer - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 1:15 pm: Morning star, when they approach it in a rational manner, such as what you’re doing right now, I can guarantee you most people are open to a dialogue then. That is, unfortunately, not the way it’s done most of the time. And if its genuine ignorance on the subject and the folks are willing to learn, that’s doable. But most of the time with this subject its folks that are hard set in their beliefs. Its definitely an in person subject though, as social media tends to bring out the worst in people on this subject. - Huh? - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 1:39 pm: I wonder if the anti-vaxxers belong to religious communities that believes in using prayer to heal illness instead of going to the doctor. I will bet that they run to the doctor and demand antibiotics when baby has a cold and the sniffles. - Just Observing - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 1:39 pm: === For parents that choose not to vaccinate their children; How do you protect them from this terrible disease? === Garlic. - Steve - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 1:45 pm: Great advice. Even if you are from a migrant caravan. - JoanP - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 2:08 pm: =[The Lancet]’s obscure to the anti-vaxxer ding-dongs on social media= I think the point was that the hoaxer was taken seriously because it was the Lancet that published his article originally. =the lowest percentage of up-to-date children had mothers born in Eastern Europe and Somalia= Sadly, the Somali population in Minnesota used to have one of the *highest* rates of vaccination, until the anti-vaxxers, including Andrew Wakefield himself, made a concerted outreach effort to the community. - Techie - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 2:30 pm: Given that I know people who are anti-vax, I can tell you that some of them are otherwise intelligent people. There are some aspects of vaccines which are questionable: why do some vaccines contain mercury? Why do they contain other additives, preservatives, and other components which don’t need to be in there? Why do thousands of people have adverse reactions to vaccines? Why do some vaccines seem to trigger latent infections of other kinds? Those are valid concerns, so I understand some of the skepticism. But I think many of these people fail to see the big picture; that vaccines are far more likely to help prevent you from getting terrible diseases than they are to cause you problems. - ArchPundit - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:42 pm: — until the anti-vaxxers, including Andrew Wakefield himself, made a concerted outreach effort to the community. Yep, it’s been very weird to watch. ===. There are some aspects of vaccines which are questionable: why do some vaccines contain mercury? Why do they contain other additives, preservatives, and other components which don’t need to be in there? Why do thousands of people have adverse reactions to vaccines? Why do some vaccines seem to trigger latent infections of other kinds? Paul Offit’s book Deadly Choices addresses all of this which is a series of questions that are more complicated than a post can answer quickly. However, none of the childhood vaccines contain thimerasol which is where the mercury comes from, it’s a more benign form of mercury, it’s way lower than background rates in the environment and especially with coal plants in the region, the flu vaccine is available without it, and it prevents bacteria growth is why it was used and is still used in some adult vaccines. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/thimerosal/index.html Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.