Why Are You Worried?

One of the questions that bothers me the most from those who choose not to vaccinate is also the one most oft repeated: "If your kid is vaccinated why are you worried?"

That’s a simple answer, it isn’t about us.

I find myself wondering, why people do not see this is NOT about us i.e. you and I who choose to vaccinate. Rather, it is about those who are vulnerable!! My child is safe because I chose vaccines. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't be concerned about kids with cancer, who can't be vaccinated. Most people don't think only of themselves, they want to consider others. We want to consider babies who are yet too young to vaccinate, as well as those who have a dangerous disease and therefore cannot be vaccinated. There are toddlers who haven't yet reached a safe age to vaccinate; the elderly and the sick that may have weakened systems that could catch a disease even though having been vaccinated in their youth are all at risk. Those are people who deserve our concern, too.
And what about the young women who may get measles while pregnant exposing their unborn to the dangers of this disease - mental retardation, deafness? What about the repercussions that have long been known for young men who come down with mumps in their teen years? Why do we hear nothing about these problems with these diseases? Because the diseases are being white washed by anti-vaxxers who only point out the milder symptoms such as: a rash, a fever, a cough, runny nose, and maybe some eye irritation. Hog wash!!! The truth is:

“Symptoms of mumps include fever, headaches, muscle aches tiredness, loss of appetite, and swollen or tender salivary glands under the ears on one or both sides of the head. A common complication in men is testicular inflammation, which can cause infertility. Other rare but serious complications include meningitis, encephalitis, inflammation of the ovaries, and deafness. Symptoms appear within 25 days of infection, but the virus can be spread before the ill person has any symptoms.”[5]

And these would be the symptoms of measles:

“Symptoms of measles include rash, a cough, runny nose, eye irritation and fever. Symptoms will appear one to three weeks after exposure to this highly contagious virus. Measles can lead to serious complications including pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and death. Measles spreads easily through any coughing and sneezing, and according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there have been 102 measles cases in the month of January alone. A majority of these cases are linked to an ongoing outbreak in southern California and most of the people who were infected with measles were not vaccinated.”[6]

Certainly when frightening information is circulated, people respond to that. Too often we just believe what we are told rather than researching facts. Once we hear "Vaccines may cause autism." We don't see the word "may" and research it further. Rather we respond to it as fact and simply will not take the chance. If the disease is now being depicted as nothing more than a childhood ailment with no discussion about the more dangerous sides of a disease, people will opt for refusing the vaccine. It is simply easier not to take the chance. When our child is involved why gamble? Except for this time there is a gamble on the other side of the issue, as well. These can be serious diseases with serious ramifications. 

What about thinking about the people who have no choice yet in vaccinations? [7] That's who our concerns are about!! Does that answer the question, "If your kid is vaccinated why then, are you worried?"  We are concerned for those who have not yet had a chance at health!!!