Why are some parents/families anti vax?

[Sistersis]

Just read an article about the UK no longer being measles free. Just trying to understand what are the reasons that some people are against vaccination.

Not being cheeky here, geniuenly interested. Sorry if this has been done already.

Because there are lots of websites spreading misinformation, using emotive language, falsified statistics and "research" to pray on people who don't know much about science.

Because people have opinions. Because of conspiracy theories. Because some people think the herd mentality will protect them. Because some people believe the autism link. Because some people remember disabilities caused through the whooping cough vaccine or the polio vaccine. Because with everything there is risk.

Because there are idiots who would rather believe a scare story than scientific evidence, as they cannot and will not understand the difference.

"Research" apparently means watching youtube videos & reading blogs.

It's all a conspiracy by Big Pharma innit.

Because they're privileged to live in a society and time where these diseases aren't and every day worry and threat to the health of their children. They've not seen the realities of what things likes polio and measles can do to a young child.

They do view them as a risk just think of them like a kid catching a cold

I think the internet has allowed a lot of false information to prevail but also allowed people to find acceptance in communities like anti-vaccine ones when perhaps they don’t have that acceptance elsewhere.

There’s a really interesting documentary, I think on Netflix, about flat-earth believers.. maybe a similar psychology?

Sadly it terrifies me.. I’m immune-compromised and rely on vaccines to keep me safe. I know and trust that my doctors wouldn’t recommend them if they didn’t believe in their safety and efficacy.

Because one single twat of an anti vaxxer / conspiracy theorist can sow the seeds of doubt in a lot of otherwise sensible people. Social Media is awash with such emotive scaremongering, women telling other women that hey are mudrdering their children if they get them vaccinated, threatening all sorts of retribution, both natural and man made, if they go ahead and vaccinate their kids.

Add to that the 'organisations' that give out very formal looking information... but are led by total charlatans out for a quick buck.

I am planning on talking to my MP about a call for ALL social media platforms to impriove their response to such shite... remove it, ban the poster etc. But am aware that there are freedom of speech issues...

It is sad that the problems with social media, dumbing down of news, science etc, that many of us old dinosaurs have long complained about, has led to such a measurable and immediate harm to our kids!

Because people have forgotten the days where families had far more children knowing that many would die of serious but preventable diseases. We have our 1, 2 ,3 DC and expect all to live in to adulthood. People love a conspiracy and to suck up misinformation forgetting that whilst vaccines carry risks so does getting on a bus or in a car, so does a run down the park, so does eating, swimming etc. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who simply arent very bright but who are desperate for something to believe in. This obviously excludes those who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons such as children recovering from cancer.

They are a special kind of stupid, who think google research makes them a medical expert and that pee and herbs can cure everything.

They think that vaccines are more of a risk than the diseases because of scare stories. There is a small risk of an allergic reaction to vaccines - same as any medication but because we don't see many people with the illnesses any more their risk assessment is off.

Vaccines are a victim of their own success

I am planning on talking to my MP about a call for ALL social media platforms to impriove their response to such shite... remove it, ban the poster etc. But am aware that there are freedom of speech issues...

If you want a government controlled society, try Russia, North Korea or PRC

Its the same sort of mentality as the flat earthers, ancient aliens theorists and all the other conspiracy crap.
Only they know the truth and anyone who disagrees are dumb sheepeople.
Basically it's a massive ego trip that there so special and smart. Not mention the arrogance of believing that they know better than every medical professional in the world

Partly because we have lost sight of the life-changing (and sometimes fatal) effects of the diseases themselves.

There really hasn't been much of a Golden Age' when vaccine uptake was high here. 'Measles free' was only granted as a status 3 years ago, and like all infectious diseases it cycles through outbreak years and low incidence years. These are small outbreaks nearly every single year - the worry is that one of thuse would not be contained, and then it could spread rapidly especially in cities (greater population density)

vax rates were high when single measles jabs were available on NHS alongside MMR (1988 - 1997), fell sharply when the licence for the (perfectly effective) single jab was allowed to lapse (administrative reasons, no clinical concerns) and only recovered very slowly. With hindsight, deciding to withdraw the single vax at the height of a scare was one of the most hostile decisions to public behaviour around vaccines possible

Rates recovered, but only very slowly. The new phenomenon is public behaviour in the internet age. WHO has published on this. But it does not really say how to counter effectively the mistruths (not solely lies, but also sexing up slender/uncertain content). Possibly because that is a much wider question of behaviour, not a medical matter of the desirability of particular jabs

because a dead child is preferable to a child with an auto imune disorder or asthma

Please stop entertaining these people. They are ignorant and stupid, and there is no point in discussing anythign else.

Yes, the have an "opinion" but it is base don willful ignorance, and is causing death and illness to people they don't even know.

Enough of the modern thing of respecting people's sensibilities. When people are dangerously wrong, and it impacts the rest of us, they need to be called out on it.

I would advocate all families without vaccines being quarantined in their own homes. Permanently. They completely disrespect the rest of society, there is no reason we should respect them.

Aaaaaaaaand breathe.

How exasperating it all is. I hate and despise Boris Johnson, but his comments on this issue were blunt and spot-on. He called the misinformation that is spread "mumbo-jumbo."

There are been many studies on the demographics of antivax families. Generally they are middle class, white, well educated and income of 75k+. In interviewing them, researchers found key reasons were 1) distrust of Big Pharma, 2) corruption between big Pharma and government agencies & officials, and 3) denial regarding seriousness of the diseases themselves & risks they present to them.

#3 has been around the upper classes for hundreds of years. Back in the 18th and 19thc middle class on up truly believed that cholera and typhoid were diseases that only affected poor people. That belief is lingering...oh only NHS patients get those diseases, but I go to a private BUPA hospital that isn’t run down and filthy and my kids are not going to disease ridden state schools so we are safe from those sicknesses.

They choose to believe complete shite masquerading as ‘research’ and believe ‘experts’ who are no such thing. Then they will claim it’s because they have ‘questioned’ and know the ‘facts’ whereas everyone else has just blindly gone along with what is apparently some odd conspiracy theory (which in itself makes no sense) like a bunch of sheep. So in short they believe a load of shite.

Conspiracy theories mostly. My best friend has never been vaccinated, his Mum was very much into conspiracy theories and all things ‘woo’. He has watched extensive YouTube videos for ‘evidence’ and concluded his Mother was correct not to vaccinate him . He had mumps when we were eleven fwiw, I’d never heard of anyone having mumps before him...

My friends boy became seriously ill from his vaccinations. He's going to suffer for the rest of his life. It's rare but shit like that happens sometimes. It made me second guess myself anyway....

@whattodowith loads of kids in my year had mumps in like 2005. They'd all been vaccinated too. I was vaccinated against whooping cough but I still got it as a child anyway. Sometimes you can still get ill from whatever you're vaccinated against.

I'm not an anti vaxxer BTW. I'm just saying....

Because they're selfish.

Remember that vaccines do have side effects, look on the packet and a small % have reactions, a very small % life changing. Reporting of these has made them safer - mercury was still in the vaccines when mine were born and the safer whooping cough vaccine was new, they withdrew the rotavirus vaccine because it wasn't safe. The issues are more complex than simple black and white - vaccines protect populations

If you want a government controlled society, try Russia, North Korea or PRC

Erm... do you knwo the story of how to best boils a frog... start with cold water...

To leap straight to the most restrictive regimes is to miss out the beginnings of the same strictures here. They are already present, in plain sight, and yet so very many people spout the usual "If you have done nothing wrng..." shite.

ANYTHING that reduces our right or ease of freedom of speech needs to be looked at carefully. Censorship is NEVER a good thing unless it becomes very well understood and universally agreed, removing the need to apply it.

Because people are scared and don’t have access to unbiased, unpressured conversation and information.

You can see from looking on here that it would seem parents can’t even ask questions or express worry around vaccinations without a high percentage of posters going on an aggressive rants about “anti-vaxxers”. It shuts done conversation and leads people to making insular, emotion driven and often ill informed choices with regards to their child’s vaccinations.

Worry around the safety of vaccinations are driven by fear, and scared parents need patience, understanding and yes let’s face it, pandering to a bit. Talking a stand on the offensive will only alienate such parents.

(As an aside, has there been any written documentation to say that the upswing in measles infection rates is directly contributable to low uptake of vaccines?)