General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSouth Carolina has a measles outbreak. The Way of Truth Church in Inman is the epicenter. - Friendly Atheist
The South Carolina Department of Public Health is reporting a giant jump in people who have measles, and the epicenter appears to be a Christian church that opposes vaccinations.
Ocelot II
(128,720 posts)IronLionZion
(50,685 posts)Most antivaxxers are vaccinated.
LiberalArkie
(19,177 posts)MineralMan
(150,469 posts)And, as they're finding out, Jesus don't care. The members don't care about their children. Why should Jesus care?
Of course, I have a different answer that doesn't involve mythical deities, but they claim to believe, so, there it is...
karynnj
(60,739 posts)In one article, a man with 4 unvaccinated kids, spoke of SOME vaccinated kids getting measles and some unvaccinated kids not getting it. This ignores the vaccine is 97 percent effective and the probability of an unvaccinated person getting measles is around 90 percent if they are exposed.
For decades, the high vaccination rate meant that those choosing not to vaccinate their kids benefited because the number of active cases was so low few were ever exposed. However, in places where there were clusters of people refusing vaccination, one case would very likely set off an epidemic. The high vaccination rate also importantly protected those who could not be vaccinated for medical reasons.
Having been born in 1950, as the oldest child, I brought home all those childhood illnesses once I started school. Fortunately, we all survived without hospitalization. I was surprised to read that the percent needing hospitalization was as high as it is.
The antivax people present potential side effects of the vaccines giving them more weight than the potential danger of getting the disease even though serious side effects are far less likely than getting seriously ill from the disease.