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Anti-vaxxing has officially become one of the world’s biggest health risks, right up there with Ebola (nice!) and climate change, the latter of which many people also think isn’t real. According to World Health Organization, it’s very real, and it’s in their top 10 threats to global health in 2019.
While nay-sayers like Jenny McCarthy have spearheaded a movement to keep kids from vaccinations, health officials are warning of the dangerous misconception that there is a link between autism and vaccines.
The current refusal to vaccinate children has some serious repercussions. Measles, alone, has increased globally by 30 percent, according to the study, although not all of it is due to anti-vaccinators. But as many as 1.5 million deaths could be prevented by improving the number of vaccinations, they said.
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Anti-vaxxers are literally making us sick | Opinion https://t.co/o2rv2Lydzd pic.twitter.com/drXhS5OXJ6
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) January 29, 2019
Easier Said Than Done
People refusing vaccinations has allowed certain diseases to make a roaring comeback. Polio, measles, and whooping cough are back in vogue after centuries of inactivity. In fact, just last month a measles outbreak in Washington infected more than 30 people. Apparently, America’s odometer rolled over in 2019 and we’re back to 1819.
As the WHO says, vaccine skepticism has turned into a problem. People’s choice not to vaccinate themselves or their children has allowed viruses to return. We’re creating our own health crisis, people!
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In It For The Long Haul
As it currently stands, vaccines save 2 to 3 million people a year. But the trick is, in order for vaccines to work, we need to actually get them. Crazy, right? Maybe it’s time to decide if our decision to avoid needles is worth people dying of polio and whooping cough.
It turns out, our decision affects not only ourselves but our communities. Those who are vulnerable rely on vaccinations, but it’s important to understand how vaccinating yourself affects others. We’re all in this together, team.
https://twitter.com/jaboukie/status/1090700769744117760
People complain every day that our country’s healthcare is terrible, yet many have no problem avoiding the most cost-effective way to prevent serious illness. Just something to think about.
