This is not just about the latest measles death, it’s about something bigger…

But, That’s Their Choice, Right?

You might think that it’s a parent’s choice to vaccinate their child. After all, it’s only the child that might suffer because of that decision, right?

Wrong.

In fact, the entire concept of vaccination is based on a herd immunity. Living the way that we do now, in large communities with lots of incidental contact, a disease could spread through the human race like wildfire. That is why we rely on a majority of immunity, so even if one person is infected, they are unlikely to be able to infect those around them.

But, herd immunity relies on a high level of immunization in the general community. The exact percentage of immunised individuals depends on how contagious the disease is, so for measles it’s just over 93%. Unfortunately, it has become a trend in the United States for large groups of parents in communities not to vaccinate their children, allowing measles (and other preventable diseases) to run riot.

Also, as this case has proven, herd immunity is a necessity to protect the vulnerable in our population. These might be babies who aren’t yet vaccinated (under 12 months), older people, people for whom vaccines just don’t work, or those who are immunosuppressed. In the last category you’ll find people living with HIV, people who have had an organ transplant, anyone both with an immune deficiency, and people who are undergoing treatments for cancer. That’s a whole lot of people affected by one parent’s choice not to immunise.

What About Australia?

In Australia parents can still opt not to vaccinate their children, but as of 2015 religious exemptions are off the table. Unfortunately, this freedom of choice has seen many parents decide that vaccinations are unhealthy, and that their children shouldn’t be immunised. There are a number of reasons that parents might believe this, and those interested in reading more about this side of the debate will certainly find a wealth of articles online.

But, one fact remains abundantly clear: As the non-vaccination trend increases, both in Australia and abroad, so too to the rates of preventable disease in our population. The number of people diagnosed with measles hit a 16-year high in Australia in 2015, something that many considered unbelievable in the post-vaccination world. And this is just one of the preventable diseases making a resurgence.

Another is whooping cough, which has resulted in the deaths of too many babies already this year in Australia. This isn’t just a blip in the statistics, it’s a pattern of preventable disease causing havoc among our healthcare system, and endangering the innocents in our population.

So think very carefully before choosing to vaccinate your child. You aren’t just deciding on the health of your own babies, but also on everyone around you.

Did you vaccinate?