Tag: immunisation

kon-igi:

climate-changing:

we-are-star-stuff:

Herd immunity is the idea that if enough people get immunized against a disease, they’ll create protection for even those who aren’t vaccinated. This is important to protect those who can’t get vaccinated, like immunocompromised children. 

You can see in the image how low levels of vaccination lead to everyone getting infected. Medium levels slow down the progression of the illness, but they don’t offer robust protection to the unvaccinated. But once you get a high enough level of vaccination, the disease gets effectively road-blocked. It can’t spread fast enough because it encounters too many vaccinated individuals, and so the majority of the population (even the unvaccinated people) are protected.

Find out more here.

Science is cool.

And saves lives

Maybe you can help me with a sticky social situation. I host a huge annual Seder at which some guests are immune-compromised. I recently discovered that another guest’s children (also guests) are unvaccinated. I tried to gently bring up the issue with her (I have had actual success with this with other mothers of my acuaintance) and discovered that this wasn’t a result of just discomfort or idle ignorance, but rather this woman my friend their mother the guest is a huge anti-vax advocate because

(Cont) huge anti-vax advocate because her infant dies (this I knew) and (this part I didn’t know) she knows in her heart that the round of vaccines the infant got two days before her death somehow contributed. I have the safety of other guests to consider–I can’t have unvaccinated guests–but how do I uninvite a long time guest with obvious trauma in a not-insensitive way?

Oh my god. Nonnie, what an awful dilemma.

I honestly have no idea. You’re doing the right thing, thinking of the most vulnerable people. You’re also a good friend to think of this woman’s pain and suffering.

I can’t imagine how hard this is for you. All I can suggest is to be honest as well as gentle. You can understand her feelings and her position and are sympathetic, but her unvaccinated children pose a huge risk to the lives of others. 

Beyond that, I am at a loss. I am so sorry.