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Australia to deny benefits to parents refusing to vaccinate children

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Good on the govt for punishing paranoia and ignorance. Unfortunately, the anti-vaccine nuts put all kids at risk.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

I'm putting a vote in for the Australian government as well.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

@Burning Bush: If you don't vaccinate your child, you ARE selling out their health for... well, for what? There really is no reason not to vaccinate. Because of this, people actually die from preventable diseases. You're not only risking the life of your children, but the lives of everyone they come into contact with.

16 ( +19 / -3 )

I wonder how many Aussie politicians will get to attend all expense paid "seminars" in Hawaii and Bali accompanied by 20 year old Big Pharma bimbos.

Let me guess, 9/11 and the moon landings were a conspiracy too, right?

This legislation is doomed to fail, the people who are concerned about the toxic chemicals in vaccines won't change their mind for money.

This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. At least it would help cull the population of the nut job 5%

7 ( +9 / -2 )

For the sake of your children’s health, please do the research. Here’s a good summary of 7 reasons to decline vaccines:

1: Pharmaceutical companies can’t be trusted. (Recently many ex-big pharma employees have revealed the frequent cover-up and other lies they told). 2: ALL vaccines are loaded with chemicals and other poisons (and, yes, most of the flu vaccines, and diphtheria, tetanus, and meningococcal vaccines still have mercury). 3: Vaccinated children are found to be more chronically ill than unvaccinated children with rates for autism, ear infections, ADHD, asthma and allergies as much as 30% higher than unvaxed children. 4: Other countries are waking up to the dangers of vaccines. 5: A number of vaccines have already had problems or been removed from the market. 6 You can always get vaccinated, but you can never undo a vaccination. http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/six-reasons-to-say-no-to-vaccination/ 7: “Large drops in disease death rates occurred long before vaccines were introduced. From 1900 to 1963, when the measles vaccine was introduced, death rates from measles had declined from 13.3 per 100,000 to 0.2 per 100,000 – a 98% decrease. From 1900 to 1949, death rates from whooping cough declined from 12.2 per 100,000 to 0.5 per 100,000 – a 96% decrease. From 1900 to 1949, death rates from diphtheria declined from 40.3 per 100,000 to 0.4 per 100,000 – a 99% decrease. . . It is important to remember that death from scarlet fever, which was the worst of infectious diseases in that era, was eliminated without any vaccination program.” http://www.whale.to/a/bystrianyk3.html
-16 ( +2 / -18 )

The only thing that's a good summary of is a list of the crap people spout that has been debunked by reality.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Those who choose not to vaccinate their kids are selfish swivel eyed loons. All that anti-vax nonsense has been debunked, but why let facts get in the way of an ill-informed opinion. If you play Russian roulette with your kids lives because you believe some anti- vaccination nonsense you read on the internet then you are scum. I have nothing but contempt for these people.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

One does not normally get a vaccination for scarlet fever, which is caused by a streptococcal infection. Including that disease in this discussion is a red flag, displaying gross ignorance. There is an immunization for scarlet fever, but it is administered only rarely, mostly to nursing staff, due to adverse side-effects and the ability to avoid the disease through hand washing. The infection can be treated with anti-biotics, unlike measles, mumps, and diphtheria.

Scarlet fever is contracted by coming into contact with someone who has a strep infection. It is usually passed from person to person by skin contact. Scarlet fever is treated with anti-biotics, cool baths, isolation, and bed rest. When I was a child, the family of anyone with scarlet fever was normally quarantined, but since the widespread availability of anti-biotics and hand soap, that is no longer necessary.

In 1921 there were over 15,000 deaths caused by diphtheria in the USA, mostly among children. Last year there was only one death in the USA from diphtheria. The disease is still rampant in places like Eastern Europe and Russia, where immunizations are not universal, with many thousands of deaths reported every year among children.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Oh the vaccination debate always brings out the nut jobs with their "toxins and chemicals!" buzzwords. Water is a chemical compound that can kill you, guess we should all stop drinking water then huh?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

This move has the support of the vast majority of Australians. The deluded can continue to not vaccinate their children, but it's going to cost them, just as it costs the rest of Australia currently to subsidise the medical costs of treating children suffering from perfectly preventable diseases.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Vaccines are in the top 10 of all human inventions. A tiny percentage are impacted by any specific vaccine, but I wouldn't risk my kids life by NOT vaccinating them without PROOF FOR MY CHILD to know it will cause harm. Other kids are someone elses problem. Mine will be vaccinated for their good and the good of the "herd."

For example, I'm allergic to ThermaSol, so I have to watch for any drugs/vaccines which include it. That doesn't mean every other vaccine is bad or that alternative vaccines made without ThermaSol aren't the best choice for me.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Well I can trust a few hundred years of science and research, or I can trust some articles I read on the internet.

Tough choice.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

"The anti-vaccination movement has coincided with the resurgence of measles, a preventable disease, in some European countries as well as in parts of the United States." - article

Public health policy is based on science not opinion.

The paranoid would find science more reliable if their opinions included education beyond the conceits of political certainty and religious pandering.

If the reckless disregard for the welfare of our neighbors, based on rumor, is one's "right" then the rule of law is moot as any opinion is fair justification for harming others. Society cannot afford the whims of political opportunism and half baked paranoids that ignore the safety of all of us and especially our children.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Simply put a very controversial issue and it is debatable. However nobody anywhere or anytime under any circumstances has the right or power to immunize you or your children against your will and conviction. Parents are capable of making their decisions about their childrens health. Freedom is a choice and the freedom of choice extends to when and even whether parents vaccinate their child.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Simply put a very controversial issue and it is debatable.

No it isn't, and no its not. The only controversy is why knuckleheads put more faith in ex-playboy Jenny Macarthy than science. (personally I think its because they are incredibly stupid and paranoid)

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"a very controversial issue and it is debatable"

Exactly, but unfortunately any serious debate is drowned out by loud and extreme voices on both sides of the issue. (swivel-eyed loons versus brainwashed sheep) One thing I find interesting is that the article doesn't mention which vaccines are to be subject to this ruling. Yet people still have firm ideas on the rights and wrongs. Does it include influenza? HPV? Chicken Pox?

I probably fall in the sheep category. My kids were vaccinated with the standard set of vaccines at the time. I didn't question it.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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