I realize that's a little abstract, just citing numbers, so here's an image for those of you who are more visually oriented:
Man. Just look at that steep, steep line for 2014, towering over every other year in the past fourteen years. Take a bow, anti-vaxers, because that is largely your work. Know how I know it's in large part due to your work? Here's how: 200 of the 288 reported in the CDC's media release about the outbreaks were completely unvaccinated, and 58 had unknown vaccination status. And those unvaccinated folks? Ten were too young to have been vaccinated, but would have been protected by herd immunity if not for you. Eleven had missed vaccination opportunities. Again, they would likely have been protected if you hadn't done such a bang-up job jeopardizing public health. The rest of the unvaccinated were unvaccinated because of religious, philosophical or personal belief reasons.
Again, for those of you who prefer visuals, take a look:
Which leads me to ask, why are you being so coy? Why aren't you standing up and proudly proclaiming your role in these outbreaks? After all, isn't that what you wanted? Decreases in vaccination and the return of diseases? I mean, in the words of one of your spokespeople, Jenny McCarthy:
I do believe sadly it's going to take some diseases coming back to realize that we need to change and develop vaccines that are safe. If the vaccine companies are not listening to us, it's their f___ing fault that the diseases are coming back. They're making a product that's s___. If you give us a safe vaccine, we'll use it. It shouldn't be polio versus autism.Oh, my apologies, anti-vaxers. It's not your fault that these diseases are coming back because you are refusing vaccines and spreading misinformation, fear, uncertainty and doubt. It's the manufacturers' fault for creating products that are actually safe and extremely effective at preventing disease if people actually use them. It's not your fault for not vaccinating, thereby leaving yourselves open to infection and creating communities perfect for the virus to jump from person to person. No, it's the vaccine-makers' fault.
You know what that sounds like? That sounds like a petulant little kid complaining to his parents that it's not his fault for getting in trouble. Someone else made him do it. Come on, anti-vaxers! Take responsibility. This is what you wanted! Age of Autism/Generation Rescue, SafeMinds, TACA, Thinking Moms Revolution, you have all spent years spreading the lie that vaccines cause autism. National Vaccine Information Center and Barbara Loe Fisher, you have put so much effort into making vaccines sound scary and the diseases sound so innocuous. And let's not forget your grass roots organizations like the Vermont Coalition for Vaccine Choice and California Coalition for Vaccine Choice (and however many other state Coalitions for Vaccine Choice). You guys have screamed bloody murder when anyone dared introduce legislation that would require parents to be informed about vaccines or that would have helped increase vaccine uptake. Oh, and Dr. Bob Sears and Dr. Jay Gordon. We can't forget you. You've tried so hard to look like you base your beliefs on science while your words make your patients think that they don't really need vaccines in a timely manner, since these aren't really outbreaks we're seeing (in your opinion). Jay, your years of experience trump the abundance of evidence and the scientific consensus showing that vaccines are safe, effective and should be administered. Why, you bravely buck the American Academy of Pediatrics' standard of medical care on this issue, to the point that your patients (in Dr. Bob's case) are the ones who bring measles back here.
Come on, people! Stand up! Take pride in your work! Stop being so humble. You deserve the praise in store for you. If you don't, how are the CDC, state and local health officials, doctors and others going to know who to thank for keeping them employed and making their days (weeks, months) so much more interesting? Who will the 1 in 7 hospitalized this year because of measles complications thank for their swell visit to the hospital? And if your efforts continue to bear such promising fruit, who will parents have to thank for that lovely, shiny new casket they'll have to buy?
If you think I'm being a bit harsh, I'm sorry, but I just feel that those who have worked so hard to make this year's measles levels one for the record books get the recognition they deserve. And I think others should send them a note, too, to say thanks for giving our country something to remember. This will go down in history as a notable year, and we have those who advocate so strongly against vaccines to thank for it.