Refusing to vaccinate

[popsadaisy]

I went to vaccinate my one year old yesterday and I was so surprised when the nurse told me that some parents still refuse vaccinations. I am genuinely intrigued as to why this is?

Some of the vaccinations aren't necessary.

There is a risk to vaccinations. I accept it is a tiny risk, but it is a risk nonetheless.

I will not put my child at risk without good reason.

🙄🙄🙄

And risk of measles is ok?!

Ignorance
Selfishness
Lack of concern for others
Stubbornness
Etcetera

Actually no. No I will not be drawn into this madness...

Because people think they know better than the WHO, CDC, NHS etc. They live in a bubble of privilege. They have never known the true terror of the diseases vaccines prevent because... well because of vaccines.

I'd agree measles should be vaccinated against, and mine are.

Not all the vaccines are necessary, though.

Which ones

Which vaccines (in your opinion) are not necessary?

Except for in the rare cases of genuine allergy or medical condition, it comes down to two things - stupidity and selfishness.

People don't realise how incredibly fortunate a they are to live in a country with a widespread free vaccination programme. There aren't many vaccine refusers in sub-Saharan Africa, I'm willing to bet.

Ego and a mistrust of authority that makes them think they know better than all the research and what numerous governments (UK and others) have decided is best to keep babies/ children and the vulnerable as safe and healthy as possible.

It's selfish and ignorant but they will remain indignant and stubborn rather than be told what to do. Decision is not based on actual fact or science at all.

My cousin is an anti-vaxxer. She says she doesn't see why she should risk her precious daughter getting vaccine injury/autism when everyone else is vaccinated anyway so herd immunity will protect her. So in her case, selfishness.

I will post this and then leave it because I know from bitter experience how these threads go.

There is no need for babies of either sex to be vaccinated against rubella. Rubella is only dangerous to women who are pregnant. Therefore, the onus is on women of child bearing age to ensure they are vaccinated, not to ask my baby or anybody's baby to take a risk for them.

Now people will say "oh but how selfish, what if someone doesn't KNOW they are pregnant and catches rubella from your child ..."

I will do what is right for my children, which is what I should do, as a parent. They will not be taking a risk for adult women. End of.

I know I was being naive but I was so shocked when the nurse told me parents still refuse I would have thought it would have been illegal to refuse. These children aren't getting protected but are having no say in the matter. She told me a horrific story of a baby who hadn't been vaccinated who got measles (or mumps I can't remember which now) and went blind. Are there any cases that children/babies have been vaccinated and as a result of this vaccination something has actually happened to them? Just can't get my head around parents who refuse to vaccinate surely they must have a good argument not to do so with something as serious as your child's health/life essentially.

And when your child is grown up and pregnant? What happens if she contracts rubella? What you going to tell her?

I paid extra for my 4 year old to have the meningitis vaccination. She missed the cut off for the NHS one. We couldn’t really afford it but my thinking was that (as well as obviously reducing the risk of meningitis) if she then contracted meningitis I needed to be able to look myself in the mirror and know that I’d done everything I could to prevent it.

When my child is grown up and pregnant, she will be able to check if she is immune and if not, get the vaccination then.

It's really not a vastly difficult concept to grasp - you know, like when you travel abroad. You wouldn't get a vaccination for a country you have no intention of visiting.

My daughter may decide not to have children. If she does make that decision, she can check her immunity and if not immune, can arrange that vaccination.

There is no reason whatsoever to vaccinate a baby against a disease so pregnant women don't have to.

@cantpissinpeace thanks for your post. I don't want this post to turn into a blood bath so to speak just genuinely intrigued at the arguments against vaccination.

It’s tempting to believe that these things only happen to “other people’s children” but that is not the reality.

I’d think you were a half wit if I was your daughter.

“I mean ffs now I have to go and get checked and get an extra vaccination because my bloody mother didn’t bother her arse”

And what about those people with unplanned pregnancy, or who don't know that they are pregnant?

Anti vaxxing is the ultimate form of white privilege, in my view.

It should be illegal not to vaccinate. It should honestly be a social services issue if they weren’t so overstretched.

Knitter - I have no responsibility towards them. None.

I have a responsibility towards my children. Not random women

@catspussinpeace but rubella also carries Avery small risk to non-pregnant people (in particular arthritis but also brain bleeds). Why is therisk from the disease more acceptable than the risks from the vaccine?

@cantpissinpeace but some people who get the rubella vaccine don't develop immunity to it. So everyone being vaccinated against it reduces the disease and therefore helps those women who through no fault of their own don't have immunity.
I have no immunity to rubella. I've had the vaccine 3 times. I was told by my consultant that luckily due to the vaccination program here meaning the risk of being in contact with anyone with rubella is small that I should be OK. If people stop vaccinated their babies that protection disappears.