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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why are some parents/families anti vax?

321 replies

Sistersis · 20/08/2019 09:19

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.

OP posts:
Lweji · 20/08/2019 22:17

Or at least this is how I am explaining this phenomenon.

But how do they explain it? Surely you must have talked to them about it.

EEmother · 20/08/2019 23:14

@Vasya
I would not call them incompetent, just with a different attitude to risk and decision making. I would not say many, probably under ten in total - as a rough guess, very similar incidence of anti vaxxers compared to the general "uneducated" population.

EEmother · 20/08/2019 23:17

But how do they explain it? Surely you must have talked to them about it.
Not really, I don't usually grill my friends or colleagues about justifications for their parenting decisions (even if I don't agree with them).

Lilylay · 20/08/2019 23:36

Septemberdread I just hope to god your daughters don’t get rubella when pregnant and you will regret your decision for the rest of your life
Also you are walking all over your own argument. You say you won’t vaccinate due to the risk but having measles, mumps and rubella you are at greater risk of complications then having complications from the vaccine.

So I really don’t get your argument. As for measles is a mild disease I think my cousin who is now deaf due to complications of measles and a friend who’s younger sister died after having measles would disagree.

Lilylay · 20/08/2019 23:37

Also know 2 men who could not have kids after having mumps as a teen yet I don’t know anyone who has had side effects form the vaccines

Lweji · 21/08/2019 01:41

Not really, I don't usually grill my friends or colleagues about justifications for their parenting decisions

You don't have to grill them. But surely you'd be curious as to their reasoning. No?
Not even a single curious why?

Do you actually know them? Or just know of them?

Shimy · 21/08/2019 01:53

The only anti vaxer I’ve ever known was a senior nurse & midwife and head of Clinical Governance for a huge county. Not a single vaccine!
Her argument was they’re not serious illnesses, if you expose them to it they will develop their own natural immunity Hmm.

HulksPurplePanties · 21/08/2019 06:44

@ColaFreezePop I live in the fucking UAE, so yeah, I know a few people from developing countries. Hell, I've lived in a few for a few years.

Also, where did I say I was anti-vax? I was making the argument that I believe much of this nonsense is fueled by government/big business scandals from the 80's/90's. However there is no logical reason for pharmaceutical companies to kill their clients.

blahblahblahblahhh · 21/08/2019 06:53

Because for some reason in Britain now we don't listen to experts about ANYTHING!

sashh · 21/08/2019 07:02

It’s only dangerous to a foetus if caught by a pregnant woman.

Have you any fucking idea how dangerous it is for a foetus?

My mother was playing with a young relative in her early pregnancy, when the child was taken to he Dr a couple of days later the child's mum broke down in tears when she was told it was rubella.

In a way my ,mum, weas lucky in that she was told about the possible infection and could go to her Dr for gamma globulin, that only risked her getting hepatitis C and the she crossed her fingers for the next 7 months.

As for risk, it is possible to die from drinking too much water, but we generally do not think of that risk.

rosedream · 21/08/2019 07:04

It's not just social media etc that has caused this.

It's the lack of health visitors.

Go back 20 odd years ago there were many more. They ran baby groups. Parents had more contact with them.

They were someone parents had access too to discuss worries etc. Now it's much harder to see one. There are drop in clinics but not to the extent they were. You are given so little time now. All the parents can do is google and chat to other mums for advice.

I believe this has contributed massively to the problem.

HarryElephante · 21/08/2019 07:36

I think we all owe each other a social responsibility

Do you replicate this moral value throughout all aspects of your life? I doubt it.

septemberdread · 21/08/2019 07:46

Yes sashh

It’s dangerous to pregnant women so pregnant women (or more accurately, women of childbearing age) are the ones who need the immunity and the vaccine given if needed.

It is not on every baby in the land to have a vaccination they don’t need because of a hypothetical pregnant woman.

EEmother · 21/08/2019 07:49

But surely you'd be curious as to their reasoning. No?
I must be unusual then in that I don't argue about money, religion, Brexit, vaccinations etc. with friends. Once I know we disagree, I dont dig deeper. If we seem to disagree on too many topics, it is unlikely we will become friends. Or this mumsnet world where everyone seems to be privy to their friends budgets, bedrooms and motivations is simply invented.

lyralalala · 21/08/2019 08:00

Do you replicate this moral value throughout all aspects of your life? I doubt it.

Well yes, as I said in the rest of the post that you selectively quoted.

DeeCeeCherry · 21/08/2019 08:32

Because of Google heads who suddenly think they're Scientists now they have info at the touch of a button. They want to appear clever and learned. I've been really taken aback at the shit some people I know share, based on what they've read. Vaccines are dangerous and unnecessary, lemons cure cancer etc. The deluded are dangerous as are those who repeat the mantra of people who for all they know could be sitting in a dingy room crouched over laptop making up nonsense to look important on social media.

I also think anti-vaxers totally rely on herd immunity = their precious darlings won't get ill anyway.

Lweji · 21/08/2019 08:33

@EEmother

I'd have been incredibly curious to know why such people didn't vaccinate their children or were against all vaccines.
Chances are they criticised one vaccine and as you don't dig deeper assumed they were anti-vaxx when they're not.

JenniR29 · 21/08/2019 08:35

Because a little knowledge is a dangerous thing and the internet allows them an echo chamber to peddle their incorrect ‘science’ and propaganda.

JenniR29 · 21/08/2019 08:37

‘I also think anti-vaxers totally rely on herd immunity = their precious darlings won't get ill anyway.’

Also this! I pointed this out on another thread. Anti-vaxxers are more than happy to reap the benefits of herd immunity whilst selfishly weakening the safety net for the vulnerable.

Vasya · 21/08/2019 08:55

I would not call them incompetent, just with a different attitude to risk and decision making.

Bollocks. If you think that the risk of vaccine injury is comparable to the risk of vaccine-preventable disease, then you simply don't understand risk and / or statistics. It is the job of an actuary to understand those things. If they are antivax because they believe the risk of vaccines is too great, it shows they fundamentally lack the skills required for their job.

The only alternative is that they understand the risk profile, but have other reasons for being antivax which they consider to be important enough that it's worth risking the health and lives of their children for them.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/08/2019 09:25

I know 1 anti-vaxxer. She honestly believes giving her children vitamins is an adequate defence against disease (from an MLM company so they are natural....)

I know people who delay vaccines. I did myself with younger DD, who got her MMR at 2.5years. she had a bad lung infection at 8months, which turned into night coughing and slow growth. I was scared of overloading her immune system. I have no idea if that fear was justified. However I understand those who don't vaccinate out of fear.

Lweji · 21/08/2019 09:33

I did myself with younger DD, who got her MMR at 2.5years. she had a bad lung infection at 8months, which turned into night coughing and slow growth.

You're not supposed to give vaccines when people are ill anyway. So, fine. Although they should be given asap.

ColaFreezePop · 21/08/2019 09:39

@HulksPurplePanties no need to swear at me. This site is UK based and some people in the UK don't have any interact with people who were raised in developing countries.

And where did I say you were anti-vaxx?

Also one thing those against big pharma don't seem to realise is that there is no money in vaccines of common diseases and many other medicines.

HarryElephante · 21/08/2019 11:36

Well yes, as I said in the rest of the post that you selectively quoted

You didn't say anything of the sort. It was all vaccine related. Is this the only aspect of life where we have a moral responsibility?

No it isn't, so spare me your pontificating.

lyralalala · 21/08/2019 11:48

You didn't say anything of the sort. It was all vaccine related. Is this the only aspect of life where we have a moral responsibility?

No it isn't, so spare me your pontificating

Since when was d&v vaccine related?

I’m not the one pontificating.