For Once the Anti-Vaxxers Aren’t (Entirely) to Blame

Anti-vaxxers are epidemiology’s repeat offenders—the first and sometimes only suspects you need to call in for questioning whenever there’s an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease. So on those occasions when their prints aren’t all over the crime scene, it’s worth giving them a nod. That’s the case—sort of, kind of—when it comes to the current whooping cough (or pertussis) epidemic that’s burning its way through California, with nearly 10,000 cases since the first of the year, making it the worst outbreak of the disease since the 1940s. So far, one infant has died. Before we start giving out any laurels, let’s be clear on one point: the anti-vaxxers continue to be risibly wrong when they say that vaccines are dangerous (they aren’t), that they lead to autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and more (they don’t), and that you should take your public-health advice from the likes of Jenny McCarthy, Rob Schneider, and Donald Trump instead of virtually every medical and scientific authority on the planet (you shouldn’t). But a safe vaccine is not always the same as an entirely effective vaccine, and here the whooping cough shot is coming up a little short—with emphasis on the “little.” According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the pertussis vaccine starts off perfectly effective, with 90% of kids developing full immunity from the disease in their first year after inoculation....
Source: TIME: Top Science and Health Stories - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Donald Trump epidemiology health Jenny McCarthy mumps pertussis Rob Schneider rumor-mongering vaccines whooping cough Source Type: news