General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If you don't vaccinate your children. [View all]KitSileya
(4,035 posts)If she was having a bad reaction to the first one, her doctor shouldn't have given her the next two. It's kids like your sister we would like to protect by ensuring that those who do not react badly to the vaccines get theirs. That way, those who cannot get them, kids like your sister, is safer too.
The numbers game, however, is stark and brutal. Less kids die of vaccines, or are harmed by them, than die or are harmed by the diseases they protect against, so since we know that 92% is the magical number for herd immunity, it is imperative that at least 92% of kids get vaccines...even if some of them die because of them. I totally agree with your advocacy for safer vaccines, but in the mean time, we cannot have parents opting out their kids without a sound medical reason - even if they are stupid enough to think getting a vaccine is more dangerous than getting chicken pox.
I support the removal of religious exemptions in schools - the only un-vaccinated children allowed in public schools should have documentation of allergies or other sound medical reasons not to get vaccines. At least then, the stupid parents won't be risking hundreds of other kids whose parents are not stupid (and their immuno-compromised relatives.)