Anti-vaxxer friend

[lastqueenofscotland]

A good friend of mine is due in about 4 weeks
For context she is an active member of a quite... extreme Christian church

She has been loudly going on of late about how she won’t be vaccinating her children. Citing two reasons, one of her sisters children was vaccinated and has dyslexia, a niece of hers wasn’t vaccinated and doesn’t have dyslexia.
Also got some bizarre “research” that one of the other members of her church sent.

I just want to give her a shake and tell her she’s being daft.
Would I be unreasonable to confront these beliefs and say even if it did cause dyslexia (which it fucking doesn’t) that surely that is better than measles?!?

I don't think the church thing has anything to do with it. It isn't a Christian teaching to avoid vaccinations.
Is she American by any chance?

JWs eschew all medicine, but as there are so few of them, there not that relevant to the herd, and at least they are consistent (reject all medicine, not just vaccinations)

This is just wrong. They reject blood products, not medicines in general, and not vaccinations. I’m not sure what you’ve got this from.

I had mumps.

Been vaccinated for rubella and measles.

Recent immunity tests showed I was immune to rubella and measles and NOT immune to mumps.

Not only left with one sided tinnitus, but had to have my MMR jabs this year. Also had my brain MRI.

One sided tinnitus sometimes has a sinister cause and a brain tumour had to be ruled out.

Biochemist here - someone who has been convinced that medical and scientific consensus is a big conspiracy by evil big pharma and the government will not listen to you. Key warning signs include quoting documentaries from YouTube and spurious links to conspiracy theory documentaries and anecdotal 'evidence' similar to the dyslexic relative tale. Soon it'll be formaldehyde, autism and Mercury in the vaccines she's researched.

Best you can do is just politely say sorry she feels that way, you will have to agree to disagree to maintain the relationship and suggest this is a topic you both steer clear of in each others presence if you both feel strongly.

There's a huuuuge difference between anti vaxxers and concerned parents wanting reassurance about information being bandied about by anti vaxxers. Have a lot of time for helping educate and reassure concerned parents in basic chemistry and the risk / benefit of vaccines. As someone mentioned above measles is on the way back in as a result of anti vaxxers - the immuno compromised, babies and elderly are all at risk.

Did she also say we're doing what's best for our little family and we're happy with our decision 🤢.

I'm a great believer in not taking any medical product unless I really need it: antibiotics, painkillers, antidepressants etc would all be a last rather than first resort. But really having your child vaccinated is such a no brainer.

I've had to unfollow someone for spouting this kind of stuff. It's so irritating.

I'd mind my own business tbh.

Sorry, but there would be too much of a gap here for me to consider this person a "good friend". We all have to respect each other's differences, but life's too short for this kind of cognitive dissonance! Just ghost this person and leave her with her kindred spirits.

Vaccinations are everyone's business because it has the potential to affect everyone!

If an idiot anti vaxer brings their child to a children's centre/swimming pool/library before they know they have a serious, contagious disease and your 3 month old/elderly relative battling cancer/other vulnerable person contracts said disease and ends up disabled or dead as a result.

Anti vaxers are selfish, deluded, idiots.

daisies I note that you are coerrecting me for a second time.

As you will see from a bit earlier in the thread, I have already thanked sunshinelollipops for putting me straight.

Tell her she’s doing the right thing, it’s obvious that it would be terrible if her child couldn’t spell measles in her coffin.

Jehovah witness not so strict now, they just give guidance but don't forbid blood transfusion. Up to individual.