[ad_1]
Let this name enter a little, because something tells me that we will hear from him again. Soon.
Lindenberger, 18, from Ohio, told his story last week about his childhood in an anti-vaccine household. At a US Senate hearing on vaccines and the epidemic of preventable diseases, he spoke.
Her mother, no matter how well-intentioned, never brought her the standard vaccines that protect against measles, mumps, chickenpox, rubella and other diseases.
Lindenberger told the committee that her love, affection and care were used to advance a program to create false distress.
He thinks his mother's misinformation and fear puts children at risk.
Reasonable people will agree with him. For proof, look no further than the recent measles epidemic.
<! –
->
Guilty party? Low vaccination rate.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person with measles will infect an average of 12 to 18 people in a susceptible population that has not been exposed to the measles virus before, or through vaccination or infection. natural.
RELATED: Health authorities in Georgia confirm three cases of measles
The disease is very contagious. infectious droplets can stay in the air for two hours, which means that a person can be infected during this time even without direct skin to skin contact. About 90% of susceptible people exposed to airborne droplets will be infected.
Lindenberger grew up discussing these points with her mother, but to no avail.
You can drive a horse to the water, as they say, but you can not force him to drink it.
Dr. Austin Chan, Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Morehouse School of Medicine, says vaccines are one of the best prevention tools ever developed for disease control.
However, many people still mention a 1998 study by Andrew Wakefield, which showed that autism rates among immunized children were higher, Chan said. Although this fact was subsequently retracted because Wakefield changed the facts to support his claim, Chan said, the idea remained a dead letter.
"I think the anti-vaccination movement is incredibly dangerous, but for some reason, they managed to convince some very prestigious celebrities, who then influenced the public opinion," he said.
It's disconcerting beyond words. Why would anyone trust a celebrity in health? There is a big difference between an artist and a doctor, and it's not just between the ears.
Heck, they do not buy half of what they are allowed to sell. This is given to them. But I'm misleading.
What is important to remember here is the idea that vaccines could cause autism was refuted nine years ago, when a British medical panel concluded in 2010 that Wakefield had acted with "total disregard In his research.
More recently, researchers examined data relating to more than half a million Danish children born between 1999 and the end of 2010 who showed that the MMR vaccine did not increase the risk of developing. Autism, but was not likely to trigger developmental disorder in susceptible populations. Their findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine the day before the Senate hearing.
Like everyone else, I watch these outbreaks spread all over the country for months. According to the latest count, six outbreaks are ongoing in the United States, according to the CDC. Health authorities in Georgia have confirmed three cases of measles, all belonging to the same family of Atlanta subway.
It's not just scary. It is as preventable as the disease itself. Just get vaccinated.
By the time Lindenberger became an adult, he was done with his parents. He did his research and, armed with the facts and not the hysteria you find on the internet, he decided to get vaccinated on his own.
RELATED: CDC warns about measles in 21 states, including North Carolina and Florida
Not only is he smart, he is an excellent model.
One of the reports I read said that after the hearing, he told reporters that he did his best to "denounce misinformation without demonizing people," and that he and his parents struggled to overcome their differences.
His advice to other young people facing debates about vaccines in their families? "Just respect and continue to present evidence."
The Senate also heard Saad Omer, professor of epidemiology and pediatrics at Emory University; John Boyle, President and CEO of the Immune System Foundation; and John Wiesman, health secretary of the Washington State Department of Health.
Washington has had three measles outbreaks in the last 10 years. As of March 4, the state health department had confirmed 70 cases of measles in Clark County, Washington.
Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., Expressed his opposition to mandatory vaccinations at the hearing when he said he had vaccinated himself and vaccinated his children.
"For me and my children, I think the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks, but I'm still not in favor of giving up the freedom for a false sense of security," he said. .
I would like to be able to say that I understand his reasoning, but I do not know it.
People have the right to choose, but do they also have the right to endanger the health of others? If you like, tell me.
Find Gracie on Facebook (www.facebook.com/graciestaplesajc/) and on Twitter (@GStaples_AJC) or email him at [email protected].
[ad_2]
Source link