If you vaccinate your kids, does it bother you when other people dont?

[nicolemariep]

So parents who vaccinate their kids, does it bother you when other people (especially in the community) don't vaccinate their kids (without a legitimate medical reason for abstaining- i.e. allergic to a component).

Usually things like this are regarded as a personal choice, but when issues like herd immunity come into play, the line between individual choice and community welfare gets a little muddy.

P.S. I live in Washington state, where we are in the middle of a whooping cough epidemic right now. The epidemic has been attributed (in large part) to a lack of herd immunity in this area, so this has been on my mind a lot lately.

DISCLAIMER: I did not start this thread to start drama on either side, I'm just genuinely curious as to whether this irks other people, or if it's just me.

A poll is coming...

[songbird516]

Last I read, the majority of whooping cough cases in California were in the vaxed population?

[jessicalev8]

We don't vax but if I did - no, it wouldn't bother me.

[nicolemariep]

Originally Posted by songbird516 Last I read, the majority of whooping cough cases in California were in the vaxed population?

Not sure about California, but in WA, it's largely in in unvaxxed or not fully vaxxed population. Right now the rates say that about 50% of the cases are "vaxed," however, our ped explained that when they make those rates, it counts any vaccine they have had for it, even if it was 25 years ago, which makes the results sound skewed.

[stevensmom]

Originally Posted by nicolemariep Not sure about California, but in WA, it's largely in in unvaxxed or not fully vaxxed population. Right now the rates say that about 50% of the cases are "vaxed," however, our ped explained that when they make those rates, it counts any vaccine they have had for it, even if it was 25 years ago, which makes the results sound skewed.

Yes it's pretty bad here . We had dd in the hospital for rsv and they were glad she didn't have whooping cough. The er dr said that all the cases they've seen this time were from non vaxed people.

**I do know how to spell...my iPod on the other hand does not**

[SillyLily]

I voted for the first choice, but really it doesn't bother me that much. As in - I would never vote for legislation that would force a parent to vaccinate their child. I would, however, consider voting for legislation that prevented children without certain vaccinations (particularly, the one for pertussis) from attending public schools. Our state provides online public school to all children that would otherwise qualify for public education that would be an excellent alternative.

I am sure this thread will get cranky, because all vaccination threads get cranky on here. And I am sure someone will be offended at my comment above, but I totally don't mean to be offensive or imply that non-vaccinated children should be excluded from having an education. Really, I think the best thing would be if sick people stayed home from work, and parents kept their sick kids home and out of public (including schools/daycare) until they were well again INCLUDING basic colds. But they don't.

[kymdenise]

I don't know what herd immunity is..

[KaleidoscopeEyes]

i stopped vaxing after ds1 but when we did vax it didnt bother me if others didnt. that is a parents right to choose not to.

[fish3737]

Originally Posted by songbird516 Last I read, the majority of whooping cough cases in California were in the vaxed population?

This!

I know my sister has been seeing a lot of whooping cough right now (I guess that makes sense since we are between Washington and California). Lots in the vaxed population - but there is also a severity issue of symptoms that makes a big difference in the vaxed and unvaxed.

[Arabesque]

In theory I'm okay with it, but if my too-young-to-be-vaxed child caught something from an older unvaxed child I may have a different response.