Nick Hughes
Opinion Editor
Clark County, Washington is facing a lot of backlash due to a measles outbreak that was reported by health officials in the area. This is not the first major measles outbreak to hit America. One occurred in 2014 when there were 667 cases of the virus reported by the Center for disease control. The troubling trend I see about this latest is that there is a good number of people defending the right for parents to say no to vaccines.
Why are parents saying no and refusing vaccines? Junk science is the main culprit, alongside the fear mongering perpetuated by the anti-vaccine movement. Last January 2019 there was a rally in Washington D.C. Typically, rallies are for a just cause and have enacted real change.
This rally tried to do the exact opposite and set America back to before the implementation of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. This vaccine was greatly needed when it was released. I was told by many older individuals I spoke to in passing about vaccines that vaccines were a lifesaver for their generation. Without that vaccine, many would have died from measles. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 2.6 million deaths from the measles virus.
I would think that that number would scare those who have not vaccinated their children. Apparently, this information never met with those in Clark County Washington. The current measles outbreak is a testament to entitlement. Because of religious and philosophical exemptions, these kids were not vaccinated, and are now suffering from a preventable disease. This is completely at the feet of the parents who refused vaccinations.
One of the biggest reasons that support the lack of vaccinations is the link to autism. Scientifically, no links have been connected between vaccines and autism. Even if it did, what is wrong with autism? Autism is a developmental, behavioral disorder usually seen through hereditary passing. It is a disorder that is in the genes of a person when there are born; it is not given to someone through an injection of the MMR vaccine.
This has been disproved multiple times. Unless there are a lot of people being paid off in several different organizations that do medical studies, I will believe actual scientists when it comes to vaccines. Is there an issue about big Pharma in America? Absolutely, did this corruption cause the MMR vaccine to cause autism? No, it did not. is the autism disorder, if it can even be referred to as such, a horrible death sentence that should be avoided at all costs?
Vaccines will not cause your children to have autism. Science backs this claim and I find it hard to take someone who has only done rudimentary research on vaccines seriously when it comes to vaccines.
Do not believe junk science, vaccinate your kids.
