What are the risks?

[Just Me]

I just got my flu shot today, and I'm glad I did. A little late, because it takes a couple weeks to work and the flu is currently widespread throughout the country (actually past its peak?), but hopefully I can avoid it until then. I've gotten the flu practically every year of my life that I didn't get a shot, and at the moment I rely on public transportation... The shot 60-something percent effective this year, I heard. If it can cut my chances that much, I'm happy. When I get hit I get hit hard, and it seems nasty this year.

The bit about autism in the OP is getting more or less ignored, but I wanted to point out that vaccines DO NOT cause autism. There is absolutely no evidence for it. NONE. The two have gotten linked because autism often becomes apparent around the same time a set of vaccines may be given (easy enough -- infants can get vaccines every few months in their first two years), but it's nothing but a coincidence. I really wish the people scaremongering about this kind of thing would cut it out before even more kids in this country die of pertussis (somebody mentioned Jenny McCarthy in here... she makes my blood boil). I got my Tdap booster two years ago, and anyone reading this who doesn't know if they're up to date on their vaccinations should remember to ask their doctor. I yell at all of my friends about it...

Yes, another voice of reason. Sadly the link was more sinister than that, it was a case of science misconduct.

 

[Rose]

:roll: Next time let me just move my mouth into the wind and see if that gets the same reaction.

 

[SweepTheLeg]

I don't get the flu shot, and I don't get the flu. I don't get sick, so I am not going to go out of my way and make myself sick.

 

[Lintilla]

I just got my flu shot today, and I'm glad I did. A little late, because it takes a couple weeks to work and the flu is currently widespread throughout the country (actually past its peak?), but hopefully I can avoid it until then. I've gotten the flu practically every year of my life that I didn't get a shot, and at the moment I rely on public transportation... The shot 60-something percent effective this year, I heard. If it can cut my chances that much, I'm happy. When I get hit I get hit hard, and it seems nasty this year.

The bit about autism in the OP is getting more or less ignored, but I wanted to point out that vaccines DO NOT cause autism. There is absolutely no evidence for it. NONE. The two have gotten linked because autism often becomes apparent around the same time a set of vaccines may be given (easy enough -- infants can get vaccines every few months in their first two years), but it's nothing but a coincidence. I really wish the people scaremongering about this kind of thing would cut it out before even more kids in this country die of pertussis (somebody mentioned Jenny McCarthy in here... she makes my blood boil). I got my Tdap booster two years ago, and anyone reading this who doesn't know if they're up to date on their vaccinations should remember to ask their doctor. I yell at all of my friends about it...

Yes, another voice of reason. Sadly the link was more sinister than that, it was a case of science misconduct.

True, but his reasons for pulling that paper out of his ass were the same sort of tenuous link. Kids get sick around the same time they're given this vaccine, so it must be the vaccine. He just went ahead and made fraudulent claims that he'd found it to be true. Now that he's completely discredited and now that they can't blame anything on thimerosal they're finding brand new reasons. There are just some people who are irrationally anti-vaccine in general and invent explanations after pre-determining that they dislike them.

I personally choose to get a flu shot and think it's a good idea for nearly everyone. I can understand, though, why some would choose not to. The 60% thing is part of that, even though if most people got the shot that's 60% of people who also will not be spreading the illness. But MMR and Tdap... I'd say the minimal risks of the vaccine are definitely far outweighed by the risk of any of the nasty diseases they prevent becoming common again. I consider skipping those to be simply irresponsible.

 

[southsamurai]

on the autism tip: autism ( tho not called that at the time) existed before regular vaccinations of any kind, tho the incidence per capita has been on the increase since the industrial revolution

 

[RoseCavilla]

"Enough evidence" is a slippery slope in itself. When it comes to medical research, quantity does not balance quality. A study at a university by scientists is not trumped by an article by Jenny McCarthy, e.g.

I still want to know what the nurse in question's religion is. I suspect she made it up.

Maybe she's a Jehovah's witness? I know they're against blood transfusions, I worked with a woman who was a witness and she chose death over violating her beliefs.

But let's say she did make it up. Maybe she just doesn't like needles or is apprehensive of unknown repercussions. Why make her get it? It's NOT guaranteeing anyone's safety. So what justification is there to revoke her right to reject any medical treatment, let alone something that isn't necessary?

Shaun, why would you want her to get vaccinated? And this was her job for years, she was forced to choose between a job she'd devoted most of her life to and breaking her vows.

No, if she were a Jehovah's Witness, she'd not be a nurse. This sounds like a religion that is fine with everything EXCEPT vaccine. I know of NO such religion. She made it up.

Maybe I'm misreading this incorrectly but it sounds like you're saying Jehovahs witnesses would not/should not become nurses. I know of several that are awesome nurses and who would take great offense to that statement. Their religion does not tell them to withhold treatment from a Catholic or Muslim because it violates their own beliefs. Their goal is to help that patient. Their religion has nothing to do with their decision to be a nurse. It only means that if they were in the patient's place they would refuse treatment. What you said could be interpreted as very rude, even if you didn't mean it as such.

What I've been trying to say is religion doesn't mean squat in the grand scheme of this debate. Given the nature of the vaccine, everyone ought to have a choice. Maybe they feel the vaccine is dangerous or don't want to get a shot if they're not going to get a Spongebob sticker and lollipop after. Reasoning in this situation doesn't matter as much as it does in other debates. Rights, however, do. And of course someone here's going to argue that patients have the "right" to be safe, but we've established that the vaccine does NOT guarantee and can arguably hinder patient safety.

You can't untake the shot.

 

[Shaun__]

What I've been trying to say is religion doesn't mean squat in the grand scheme of this debate. Given the nature of the vaccine, everyone ought to have a choice. Maybe they feel the vaccine is dangerous or don't want to get a shot if they're not going to get a Spongebob sticker and lollipop after. Reasoning in this situation doesn't matter as much as it does in other debates. Rights, however, do. And of course someone here's going to argue that patients have the "right" to be safe, but we've established that the vaccine does NOT guarantee and can arguably hinder patient safety.

You can't untake the shot.

She had a choice, nobody held her down and gave her a shot. She chose not to get it and faced the consequences or her decision. Also patients do have a right to be safe, despite your apparent personal indifference to them. You also did nothing to prove nurses getting flu shots hurts the patient in any way.

 

[RoseCavilla]

What I've been trying to say is religion doesn't mean squat in the grand scheme of this debate. Given the nature of the vaccine, everyone ought to have a choice. Maybe they feel the vaccine is dangerous or don't want to get a shot if they're not going to get a Spongebob sticker and lollipop after. Reasoning in this situation doesn't matter as much as it does in other debates. Rights, however, do. And of course someone here's going to argue that patients have the "right" to be safe, but we've established that the vaccine does NOT guarantee and can arguably hinder patient safety.

You can't untake the shot.

She had a choice, nobody held her down and gave her a shot. She chose not to get it and faced the consequences or her decision. Also patients do have a right to be safe, despite your apparent personal indifference to them. You also did nothing to prove nurses getting flu shots hurts the patient in any way.

I am not indifferent to patient safety, what have I said that suggests that? If I were then I would not choose to become a nurse and work in a hospital.

Getting the flu shot can give you the flu. If you have the flu, you are often times contagious before the symptoms become apparent. If you're contagious you can infect a patient. If you infect the patient, they can die.

 

[Shaun__]

What I've been trying to say is religion doesn't mean squat in the grand scheme of this debate. Given the nature of the vaccine, everyone ought to have a choice. Maybe they feel the vaccine is dangerous or don't want to get a shot if they're not going to get a Spongebob sticker and lollipop after. Reasoning in this situation doesn't matter as much as it does in other debates. Rights, however, do. And of course someone here's going to argue that patients have the "right" to be safe, but we've established that the vaccine does NOT guarantee and can arguably hinder patient safety.

You can't untake the shot.

She had a choice, nobody held her down and gave her a shot. She chose not to get it and faced the consequences or her decision. Also patients do have a right to be safe, despite your apparent personal indifference to them. You also did nothing to prove nurses getting flu shots hurts the patient in any way.

I am not indifferent to patient safety, what have I said that suggests that? If I were then I would not choose to become a nurse and work in a hospital.

Getting the flu shot can give you the flu. If you have the flu, you are often times contagious before the symptoms become apparent. If you're contagious you can infect a patient. If you infect the patient, they can die.

Getting the shot lowers your chances of getting the flu. That is why people get the flu shot, and why your argument is without a scientific basis. There is not a problem being a nurse and being afraid to get a flu shot. You should just work away from the hospital, and work in a private practice. This can change the type of patients you will be around on a daily basis.

 

[RoseCavilla]

What I've been trying to say is religion doesn't mean squat in the grand scheme of this debate. Given the nature of the vaccine, everyone ought to have a choice. Maybe they feel the vaccine is dangerous or don't want to get a shot if they're not going to get a Spongebob sticker and lollipop after. Reasoning in this situation doesn't matter as much as it does in other debates. Rights, however, do. And of course someone here's going to argue that patients have the "right" to be safe, but we've established that the vaccine does NOT guarantee and can arguably hinder patient safety.

You can't untake the shot.

She had a choice, nobody held her down and gave her a shot. She chose not to get it and faced the consequences or her decision. Also patients do have a right to be safe, despite your apparent personal indifference to them. You also did nothing to prove nurses getting flu shots hurts the patient in any way.

I am not indifferent to patient safety, what have I said that suggests that? If I were then I would not choose to become a nurse and work in a hospital.

Getting the flu shot can give you the flu. If you have the flu, you are often times contagious before the symptoms become apparent. If you're contagious you can infect a patient. If you infect the patient, they can die.

Getting the shot lowers your chances of getting the flu. That is why people get the flu shot, and why your argument is without a scientific basis. There is not a problem being a nurse and being afraid to get a flu shot. You should just work away from the hospital, and work in a private practice. This can change the type of patients you will be around on a daily basis.

...

I've gotten the flu shot and still got the flu. As has someone else who posted in this forum. So my argument does have a scientific basis.

 

[sweetiebatman]

The thing about the ole flu shot is that it is not designed to prevent "flu" as flu comes in many strains of varying severity, Flu vaccines are targeted against he most prevelent or most serious strains, like the H1N1 virus

A flu vaccine can only stimulate your immune system to protect you against the viruses in the vaccine, but will offer lesser protection against other strains

The bottom line is the flu vaccine is more effective some years rather than others as it completely depends on the prevalent strains in that year.

 

[Just Me]

What I've been trying to say is religion doesn't mean squat in the grand scheme of this debate. Given the nature of the vaccine, everyone ought to have a choice. Maybe they feel the vaccine is dangerous or don't want to get a shot if they're not going to get a Spongebob sticker and lollipop after. Reasoning in this situation doesn't matter as much as it does in other debates. Rights, however, do. And of course someone here's going to argue that patients have the "right" to be safe, but we've established that the vaccine does NOT guarantee and can arguably hinder patient safety.

You can't untake the shot.

She had a choice, nobody held her down and gave her a shot. She chose not to get it and faced the consequences or her decision. Also patients do have a right to be safe, despite your apparent personal indifference to them. You also did nothing to prove nurses getting flu shots hurts the patient in any way.

I am not indifferent to patient safety, what have I said that suggests that? If I were then I would not choose to become a nurse and work in a hospital.

Getting the flu shot can give you the flu. If you have the flu, you are often times contagious before the symptoms become apparent. If you're contagious you can infect a patient. If you infect the patient, they can die.

Getting the shot lowers your chances of getting the flu. That is why people get the flu shot, and why your argument is without a scientific basis. There is not a problem being a nurse and being afraid to get a flu shot. You should just work away from the hospital, and work in a private practice. This can change the type of patients you will be around on a daily basis.

...

I've gotten the flu shot and still got the flu. As has someone else who posted in this forum. So my argument does have a scientific basis.

Your argument has no scientific basis. "The plural of anecdote is not evidence. Correlation does not equal causation." Yes, I really like those quotes but they seem to fit these debates quite well.

The seasonal flu vaccine protects against three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. Three kinds of influenza viruses commonly circulate among people today: influenza B viruses, influenza A (H1N1) viruses, and influenza A (H3N2) viruses. Each year, one flu virus of each kind is used to produce seasonal influenza vaccine.

The viruses in the flu shot are killed (inactivated), so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. The risk of a flu shot causing serious harm or death is extremely small. However, a vaccine, like any medicine, may rarely cause serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. Almost all people who get influenza vaccine have no serious problems from it.

This is straight from the CDC's website.

 

[SinSeraTea]

I'm glad I did a search for this so I can revive an old post rather than making a new one. I have feels to contribute to this post.

Know what burns my biscuits? The Anti-Vaccine crowd. I love some individuals, including my father, who spout this nonsense but can we get a HELL YEAH for science?

http://globalnews.ca/news/948703/ahs-sa ... ed-people/

http://globalnews.ca/news/877557/what-c ... e-parents/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Measl ... _inset.png <- Lookit that sexy graph.

Know what I was terrified of as a child? Whooping cough. I used to read a lot of historical books and stories about the sicknesses the previous century dealt with horrified me. But my mum told me that because of immunizations we don't have to worry about those things.

Immunizations allow us to live in cities as organized people together without making each other sick.

I find it appalling that there are people more afraid of a .0something percent chance that they will develop autism or another reaction than the very real likelihood that they will contract one of the diseases the dreaded immunization is meant to protect against.

Lets look at the flu shot. Something I think that is overused by our society. The annual flu shot protects against 3-6 strains of a 100+ strain virus. They try to get the strongest or most common flu strains but science isn't perfect. The reason people get a flu shot is that if they get the flu they might die or face complications.

Immunizations are a risk trade off. Vaccines do have risks, I'll never deny that. But the key is that they are less risky than the thing they are trying to prevent.

I still love my antivac people but they make me angry. This is more than just a personal freedom issue. This is a public health issue.

SCIENCE.

Also. HPV vaccine. Everyone who says it shouldn't be given to males because they can't get cervical cancer doesn't understand how diseases spread and I want to smack them. How the fuck do they think girls get HPV in the fucking first place? If there are fewer men running around with HPV it will spread less.

We don't just get immunized to protect ourselves. We get immunized to protect the people around us too.

 

[NaNatasha]

The author of the peer-reviewed study (in The Lancet) who began the "vaccine=autism" scare, was convicted of fraud in 2011, as he falsified the data in the paper that started this scare. That paper was retracted in 2011 (2010?).

Other peer reviewed studies, both prior and after that study, have consistently supported the conclusion that the health benefits (to both society and the individual) far, far outweigh the health costs (=transient flu-like symptoms).

 

[Rose]

I'll pass on all of that. I'm absolutely and very strongly against giving my child or myself giant cocktail doses of chemicals. I think it's absolute bullshit and will never do it. If there's an adverse reaction then there's no way to pinpoint which chemical was toxic. No thank you.

I started this thread to encourage those reading to not be sheeple and to make informed decisions for themselves.

 

[Rose]

Also. HPV vaccine. Everyone who says it shouldn't be given to males because they can't get cervical cancer doesn't understand how diseases spread and I want to smack them. How the fuck do they think girls get HPV in the fucking first place? If there are fewer men running around with HPV it will spread less.

We don't just get immunized to protect ourselves. We get immunized to protect the people around us too.

[/quote]
I had a very bad reaction to the guardasil vaccine. Ended up getting hospitalized for a night when I received my last dose for it. Same thing happened to my sister minus the hospitalization, no thanks. That stuff is fucking toxic.

 

[Sevrin]

Also. HPV vaccine. Everyone who says it shouldn't be given to males because they can't get cervical cancer doesn't understand how diseases spread and I want to smack them. How the fuck do they think girls get HPV in the fucking first place? If there are fewer men running around with HPV it will spread less.

We don't just get immunized to protect ourselves. We get immunized to protect the people around us too.

I had a very bad reaction to the guardasil vaccine. Ended up getting hospitalized for a night when I received my last dose for it. Same thing happened to my sister minus the hospitalization, no thanks. That stuff is fucking toxic.

What reaction did you have? It's odd that you had a bad reaction to the third dose if you didn't react that way to the first two.

 

[Rose]

Also. HPV vaccine. Everyone who says it shouldn't be given to males because they can't get cervical cancer doesn't understand how diseases spread and I want to smack them. How the fuck do they think girls get HPV in the fucking first place? If there are fewer men running around with HPV it will spread less.

We don't just get immunized to protect ourselves. We get immunized to protect the people around us too.

I had a very bad reaction to the guardasil vaccine. Ended up getting hospitalized for a night when I received my last dose for it. Same thing happened to my sister minus the hospitalization, no thanks. That stuff is fucking toxic.

What reaction did you have? It's odd that you had a bad reaction to the third dose if you didn't react that way to the first two.

The first two doses gave me a mild fever. The third produced a high fever, uncontrollable vomiting, dehydration and the shakes.

 

[Sevrin]

Also. HPV vaccine. Everyone who says it shouldn't be given to males because they can't get cervical cancer doesn't understand how diseases spread and I want to smack them. How the fuck do they think girls get HPV in the fucking first place? If there are fewer men running around with HPV it will spread less.

We don't just get immunized to protect ourselves. We get immunized to protect the people around us too.

I had a very bad reaction to the guardasil vaccine. Ended up getting hospitalized for a night when I received my last dose for it. Same thing happened to my sister minus the hospitalization, no thanks. That stuff is fucking toxic.

What reaction did you have? It's odd that you had a bad reaction to the third dose if you didn't react that way to the first two.

The first two doses gave me a mild fever. The third produced a high fever, uncontrollable vomiting, dehydration and the shakes.

That sucks. The bad reaction to the first dose should have been a red flag to the person administering the vaccine. :?

 

[Rose]

Also. HPV vaccine. Everyone who says it shouldn't be given to males because they can't get cervical cancer doesn't understand how diseases spread and I want to smack them. How the fuck do they think girls get HPV in the fucking first place? If there are fewer men running around with HPV it will spread less.

We don't just get immunized to protect ourselves. We get immunized to protect the people around us too.

I had a very bad reaction to the guardasil vaccine. Ended up getting hospitalized for a night when I received my last dose for it. Same thing happened to my sister minus the hospitalization, no thanks. That stuff is fucking toxic.

What reaction did you have? It's odd that you had a bad reaction to the third dose if you didn't react that way to the first two.

The first two doses gave me a mild fever. The third produced a high fever, uncontrollable vomiting, dehydration and the shakes.

That sucks. The bad reaction to the first dose should have been a red flag to the person administering the vaccine. :?

Their response to my mother was that it was normal.

 

[Sevrin]

Turns out that it is. Well, it didn't kill you, and did make you stronger. Every medication carries the risk of side-effects. The fact that you had a severe reaction to the third dose might well discourage you from receiving future vaccinations, but you are not justified in drawing the conclusion that it, or any other vaccine is "toxic".

 

[Rose]

Turns out that it is. Well, it didn't kill you, and did make you stronger. Every medication carries the risk of side-effects. The fact that you had a severe reaction to the third dose might well discourage you from receiving future vaccinations, but you are not justified in drawing the conclusion that it, or any other vaccine is "toxic".

It's my right as a parent to decide whether or not to give my kid foreign chemicals. Just because something is safe for some people doesn't mean it's safe for all.

Not everyone is allergic to grass or milk, but others will get hives when they roll in grass or vomit when they drink milk. Because of that I don't think you should force everyone to roll around in grass or drink milk.

 

[Sevrin]

Turns out that it is. Well, it didn't kill you, and did make you stronger. Every medication carries the risk of side-effects. The fact that you had a severe reaction to the third dose might well discourage you from receiving future vaccinations, but you are not justified in drawing the conclusion that it, or any other vaccine is "toxic".

It's my right as a parent to decide whether or not to give my kid foreign chemicals. Just because something is safe for some people doesn't mean it's safe for all.

Not everyone is allergic to grass or milk, but others will get hives when they roll in grass or vomit when they drink milk. Because of that I don't think you should force everyone to roll around in grass or drink milk.

So grass and milk are "toxic". That removes all meaning from the word, doesn't it?

 

[Rose]

Turns out that it is. Well, it didn't kill you, and did make you stronger. Every medication carries the risk of side-effects. The fact that you had a severe reaction to the third dose might well discourage you from receiving future vaccinations, but you are not justified in drawing the conclusion that it, or any other vaccine is "toxic".

It's my right as a parent to decide whether or not to give my kid foreign chemicals. Just because something is safe for some people doesn't mean it's safe for all.

Not everyone is allergic to grass or milk, but others will get hives when they roll in grass or vomit when they drink milk. Because of that I don't think you should force everyone to roll around in grass or drink milk.

So grass and milk are "toxic". That removes all meaning from the word, doesn't it?

I was using those as a metaphor and mistakenly assumed that was obvious.

 

[Just Me]

http://skeweddistribution.com/2012/03/26/dear-antivaxxer-this-is-why-i-do-not-care-for-you/

 

[SinSeraTea]

Rose, I'm sorry that you had that experience. I haven't had the HPV vaccine yet, even though I do plan on it as soon as I can afford it. I'll find out. But I think that it is worth while no matter what.

You are entitled to your opinion and no one can force you to do anything to your child in this society but the harm of your action is mitigated by the fact that most people do get vaccinated and thank goodness that there are the rest of society mitigating the risk of your child contracting diseases that could kill, blind or otherwise maim your child.

If everyone were like you and did not vaccinate their children, perhaps in an alternate universe where most of the world is afraid of them perhaps your opinion on not putting your child at risk and through pain and suffering would be different if your children's friends came down with measles or another otherwise mostly eradicated disease. This is all I can think of when I consider a world without vaccines.

Gardasil vaccine aside, perhaps they have not done as much research on it as they could have, or the reactions that they induce are unavoidable. I don't understand why people are afraid of giving vaccines for children. Most people go through rounds of innoculations as a child without any consequence other than better health. Everyone in my school lined up and had vaccines more than once in my lifetime. A few kids had bad reactions. But most were very afraid of needles working with nurses who are overworked and underpaid and perhaps not as kind as they should be. Some kids went home and rested. No one ever had a serious reaction in my childhood.

Perhaps giving the vaccine to children would be traumatic to them. Perhaps just giving it to people when they turn 18 would really help.

Getting your wisdom teeth out is more scary and more of a disruption to me. But just as necessary in a more immediate impact way and so it gets done. Mostly on teens.

I'm sorry your experiences have been awful Rose, only you can decide what you do with your life. I don't think you're any less intelligent or thought out but I don't understand your decision because my priorities are different.

 

[callie_du]

The author of the peer-reviewed study (in The Lancet) who began the "vaccine=autism" scare, was convicted of fraud in 2011, as he falsified the data in the paper that started this scare. That paper was retracted in 2011 (2010?).

Other peer reviewed studies, both prior and after that study, have consistently supported the conclusion that the health benefits (to both society and the individual) far, far outweigh the health costs (=transient flu-like symptoms).

Last I heard he was de registered as a medical professional too. I heard his study population was something like 12 kids at his son's birthday party who he paid money to take blood, without their parent's permission.

 

[callie_du]

Perhaps giving the vaccine to children would be traumatic to them. Perhaps just giving it to people when they turn 18 would really help.
.

Unfortunately most of the diseases that are vaccine preventable are especially dangerous in childhood.

 

[Rose]

Rose, I'm sorry that you had that experience. I haven't had the HPV vaccine yet, even though I do plan on it as soon as I can afford it. I'll find out. But I think that it is worth while no matter what.

You are entitled to your opinion and no one can force you to do anything to your child in this society but the harm of your action is mitigated by the fact that most people do get vaccinated and thank goodness that there are the rest of society mitigating the risk of your child contracting diseases that could kill, blind or otherwise maim your child.

If everyone were like you and did not vaccinate their children, perhaps in an alternate universe where most of the world is afraid of them perhaps your opinion on not putting your child at risk and through pain and suffering would be different if your children's friends came down with measles or another otherwise mostly eradicated disease. This is all I can think of when I consider a world without vaccines.

Gardasil vaccine aside, perhaps they have not done as much research on it as they could have, or the reactions that they induce are unavoidable. I don't understand why people are afraid of giving vaccines for children. Most people go through rounds of innoculations as a child without any consequence other than better health. Everyone in my school lined up and had vaccines more than once in my lifetime. A few kids had bad reactions. But most were very afraid of needles working with nurses who are overworked and underpaid and perhaps not as kind as they should be. Some kids went home and rested. No one ever had a serious reaction in my childhood.

Perhaps giving the vaccine to children would be traumatic to them. Perhaps just giving it to people when they turn 18 would really help.

Getting your wisdom teeth out is more scary and more of a disruption to me. But just as necessary in a more immediate impact way and so it gets done. Mostly on teens.

I'm sorry your experiences have been awful Rose, only you can decide what you do with your life. I don't think you're any less intelligent or thought out but I don't understand your decision because my priorities are different.

You are absolutely incorrect. I AM vaccinating my child, but on alternative schedule. I have never said I am against vaccines, but I am strongly against administering them all at once.

I think it is irresponsible to just not vaccinate at all if you plan to interact with society because of the risks it poses to those around you. I also think it's irresponsible to take every vaccine that you can at once, like our pediatrician recommended, because then you won't know which one gave you an adverse reaction if you have one.

Please don't misconstrue my words. I am NOT against vaccinations. I AM against injecting helpless infants who can't speak for themselves with 5 shots in one doctor's visit.

IF I was choosing to not vaccinate my child, he wouldn't attend public or private school and instead we would find a way to keep him home schooled. However, I feel it's important as a singleton that he attend school with other kids and do believe that some vaccines can be life saving, so he's getting vaccines, just not all at once or even more than one in a month. I have never said that I'm against vaccinations or that I'm not vaccinating my kid. Where the heck do people keep coming up with this assumption, it is extremely incorrect.

 

[Rose]

I'll put this plainly:

*I started this thread to encourage everyone to educate themselves about vaccines. In any circumstance, especially one like this that can affect more than just your life, it's important to know all sides of the coin.

*I am NOT against vaccines.

*I AM against administering vaccines all at once.

*I AM vaccinating my child, though not on the traditional schedule of 5-7 shots per visit, because I don't want to be the cause of others getting sick or dying.