Measles on the rise worldwide

[Coconut Flan]

14 minutes ago, Glasgowghirl said:

The reaction caused mild discomfort at most and since I have asthma and always had a weaker immune system compared to my siblings, no way was I going to refuse future vaccines. I have had my flu shots and a couple of other tetanus shots since and have been fine. Every other vaccine I have had including the BCG a few weeks before the tetanus shot caused no reaction.

My arm still swells, gets hot and reddish, and I run a low fever even after decades of tdap injections.  I still get them and put on ice packs and take ibuprofen and move on.  It's not that big of a deal.  

[JustEnough]

13 minutes ago, Glasgowghirl said:

The reaction caused mild discomfort at most and since I have asthma and always had a weaker immune system compared to my siblings, no way was I going to refuse future vaccines. I have had my flu shots and a couple of other tetanus shots since and have been fine. Every other vaccine I have had including the BCG a few weeks before the tetanus shot caused no reaction. 

That makes sense. Tetanus is known for that and two of my doctors have said that a swelling/bump is very common with any vaccine with tetanus in it, and it can get worse with every dose of tetanus you get. My family doctor told me this when I showed her my arm a couple of days after getting my last one. Something to look forward to lol

Also I hope I didn't come across as saying that you would see the swelling as a reason not to get another vaccine. I meant I've known parents of kids who are in playgroup etc with my kids. It comes up more often than I ever imagined it would before I became a parent.

[Glasgowghirl]

4 hours ago, JustEnough said:

That makes sense. Tetanus is known for that and two of my doctors have said that a swelling/bump is very common with any vaccine with tetanus in it, and it can get worse with every dose of tetanus you get. My family doctor told me this when I showed her my arm a couple of days after getting my last one. Something to look forward to lol

Also I hope I didn't come across as saying that you would see the swelling as a reason not to get another vaccine. I meant I've known parents of kids who are in playgroup etc with my kids. It comes up more often than I ever imagined it would before I became a parent.

I understood what you meant, if I have children and they have the same reaction, I will still be getting them vaccinated.  A bit of bruising and swelling is not serious. 

I fear for children and adults that are immunocompromised because of these selfish people, I hope I'm wrong but I see more children being seriously ill or even dying due to these outbreaks. It's a disgrace that diseases that were wiped out and easily preventable are coming back.

[Briefly]

6 hours ago, Glasgowghirl said:

The reaction caused mild discomfort at most and since I have asthma and always had a weaker immune system compared to my siblings, no way was I going to refuse future vaccines. I have had my flu shots and a couple of other tetanus shots since and have been fine. Every other vaccine I have had including the BCG a few weeks before the tetanus shot caused no reaction. 

That is one of the things with asthma.  We are already compromised to a point.  I get flu shots as early as I can, I do have a reaction but it's so much better than risking the flu.  The flu can be life-threatening on it's own, but asthma and flu are a very severe combination.  I don't remember much of a reaction the last time I had a tetanus shot though.

[Terrie]

On 3/8/2019 at 12:19 PM, Imrlgoddess said:

But the whole idea that mandating vaccination (barring medical reasons not to) leading to unauthorized, invasive procedures... why would they do it?  I'm really trying to grasp the logic in that argument.

There are no "mandated" vaccines. No one will be hunting down unvaccinated children and shooting them with darts full of vaccines. Not getting them is always an option. What is being put forward is the idea that if you opt out of vaccines, you are also opting out of access to things like public school. I'm totally okay with the idea that choices have consequences. It's no different from the idea that free speech doen't give you the right to stand in my living room and yell at me.

[Imrlgoddess]

34 minutes ago, Terrie said:

There are no "mandated" vaccines. No one will be hunting down unvaccinated children and shooting them with darts full of vaccines. Not getting them is always an option. What is being put forward is the idea that if you opt out of vaccines, you are also opting out of access to things like public school. I'm totally okay with the idea that choices have consequences. It's no different from the idea that free speech doen't give you the right to stand in my living room and yell at me.

Thank you, I hadn't read the bill in question.  I worry about a friend of mine and some choices that she's made in the last few years and seeing the company she now keeps explains a lot.  

[Smash!]

I think there‘s still a difference between the vaccines you absolutely need to have and the recommended ones. It’s ok to think about the latter and make your decision together with your GP. When I first went to SEA I asked my GP what she would recommend based on my vaccination card and got a reboost on everything. But I didn‘t vaccine Japanese Encephalitis because it wasn‘t absolutely neccessary and I thought the risk of getting it was slim. I haven‘t gotten the HPV-shot either because it was never brought up by my ob-gyn. I have to ask her the next time.

 

 

[Imrlgoddess]

it dawned on me earlier while wading through Lori Alexanders Facebook war that many of the opposers either have forgotten or don't understand the concept of risk vs reward and/or the good of many outweighing the good of the few.  (yes I just totally Dr. Spock'd it)  

Common sense dictates that if there is an adverse reaction to a treatment then caution should be taken from that point forward.  Doing research and understanding the risk is great, knowledge is never a bad thing.  Common, OTC meds have side effects, we don't hear about them because the effects either aren't severe or they happen is such a small percentage of the population it isn't considered a standard risk to society.  If enough people stop vaccinating their offspring, the herd immunity that they so highly believe in will falter, thus exposing society as a whole to a massive problem.  They are the ones who are so desperately afraid of mankind being wiped out.  Well, if you don't do your part to prevent it....you're kind of adding to your own detriment. 

The argument about the vaccines being made from strains of animal or human whatever gets thrown around when the risk aspect is proved.   There is so little of the material in that one syringe, it's in no way like eating a pork chop or a catfish.  The two things aren't even comparable and in a life saving situation...you do what is best for the person regardless of your personal belief. (ideally)   "God gave us all the immunity we need".  OK.  Then God shouldn't have allowed us to evolve and things like the plague should never have happened.  Unless we want to contend that the plague finished what the Spanish Inquisition started.  All those dirty courtesans ya know.....

They make me tired ya'll.  Seriously.  Also, I agree with you @Smash!  The necessary ones are a no-brainer for me.  The optional ones?  Take it on advisement, there are pros and cons to everything under the sun.  

 

[Glasgowghirl]

21 hours ago, Briefly said:

That is one of the things with asthma.  We are already compromised to a point.  I get flu shots as early as I can, I do have a reaction but it's so much better than risking the flu.  The flu can be life-threatening on it's own, but asthma and flu are a very severe combination.  I don't remember much of a reaction the last time I had a tetanus shot though.

I am lucky that mines is mild and I've only had flu once or twice but the cold is bad enough every year. I have a various throat sprays, nasal sprays and cold medication that I take, I make sure they are safe to take together plus hot lemon and blackcurrant drinks to clear my colds. The lovely Scottish weather doesn't help though.

[Howl]

Shingrix is the relatively new vaccination against shingles.  It's 91% effective in adults in my age bracket (70 +) and 97% effective in adults aged 50 - 69; the original vaccine for singles (Zostavax) has a much lower effectiveness rate.  

I've had both Shringrix vaccinations (it's a two-shot series, taken two or six months apart) and my arm was sore for days both times.   DH just got his 2nd last week.  It was damned expensive for him ($175), since his MediCare drug coverage isn't as comprehensive as mine with a much higher deductible.  For those of you getting it, make sure you get both shots within the same benefit year, especially if you have a high deductible. 

But ask anyone who's had shingles and it sounds like relentless pain and misery that takes many months to resolve. 

Sadly, the cost alone will be a financial impediment to many seniors on a fixed income, but it's recommended for people over 50. 

Here's the CDC information on Shingrix: 

What Everyone Should Know about Shingles Vaccine (Shingrix)  One of the Recommended Vaccines by Disease

[Terrie]

A coowrker in his 40s was recently hospitalized with shingles. It is not something to mess around with. 

[starfish]

Shingles victim here. It was AWFUL and mine was probably mild. It can blind you. 

I had the Zoster vax and will get Shingrix as soon as its available here. One of the greatest blessings in my

life was that my children were vaccinated against chicken pox. Having never had the chicken pox, they will not get shingles.

(Unlike Jim Boob Duggar's televised announcement that because his children suffered through chicken pox, they

would not get shingles. Ummm....you might want to study up on your science there, Jim Boob.) I still think the television

station should have had a disclaimer, you know like pop videos on VH-1 to straighten out his mis-information. 

 

[Maggie Mae]

A coworker of mine came to work with shingles. I'm still pissed out it, as I never had the chicken pox, and think that she should have been compelled to stay far away from me. She was also really bad about touching communal food. 
 

I don't understand anti-vax people. 

[Terrie]

I will note that I'm okay with anti-vaxxers getting shingles and think they probably deserve it. They should suffer, not their children, and while shingles is painful and can, in some cases, be serious in terms of impacting vision or dental health, it's a lot less fatal than, say, the flu.

[onekidanddone]

6 hours ago, starfish said:

(Unlike Jim Boob Duggar's televised announcement that because his children suffered through chicken pox, they

would not get shingles. Ummm....you might want to study up on your science there, Jim Boob.)

I need to ask Jim Blob if being that deliberately stupid is painful. 

[Ali]

16 hours ago, Maggie Mae said:

A coworker of mine came to work with shingles. I'm still pissed out it, as I never had the chicken pox, and think that she should have been compelled to stay far away from me. She was also really bad about touching communal food. 
 

I don't understand anti-vax people. 

Have you asked your doctor about getting the chicken pox vaccination?

[NotQuiteMotY]

On 3/12/2019 at 10:50 AM, Terrie said:

A coowrker in his 40s was recently hospitalized with shingles. It is not something to mess around with. 

My friend (early 30s) has just been given a probable diagnosis of it. She's seriously hurting, and the doctor thinks that she may have some hearing damage as a direct result of its location. Shingles is awful.

Edited March 14, 2019 by NotQuiteMotY

[Alisamer]

A co-worker's mid-twenties aged daughter, who has chronic illnesses and a compromised immune system, looks for all the world like she is completely covered in measles right now. The doctors say it's psoriasis, but it looks just like measles. Her psoriasis has never looked like this, nor has it covered her body like this. Her mom asked me if she could get measles even if she'd been vaccinated for it (she had, she's fully vaccinated), and I told her that yes, it could happen. She might not have held the immunity, any of her many medicines could have reduced her resistance, etc. She is in frequent contact with two young children, and attending college. 

I am praying that she does NOT have measles. Hopefully the doctors are right, and it will clear up soon with the treatment they are doing for psoriasis. But I'm worried. And secretly hoping she doesn't come visit her parents until she's well, because then I could be exposed. I've been vaccinated, but have never had titers checked, so you never know.

[Howl]

(Italian) Politician who opposed mandatory chickenpox vaccine has been hospitalized after getting chickenpox  

Yup, he spent four days in the hospital.  

From the CDC Web site on shingles contagion: 

The virus is spread through direct contact with fluid from the rash blisters caused by shingles. ... Once the rash has developed crusts, the person is no longer infectious. Shingles is less contagious than chickenpox and the risk of a person with shingles spreading the virus is low if the rash is covered.

 

[Don'tlikekoolaid]

I can’t post a link on my phone but here’s a screenshot.  This not being able to post a link is really annoying.

 

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

5 hours ago, Don'tlikekoolaid said:

I can’t post a link on my phone but here’s a screenshot.  This not being able to post a link is really annoying.

I think this is the article? 

https://abc7ny.com/health/measles-outbreak-rockland-bars-unvaccinated-from-public-places/5218203/

I saw a segment about this on the NBC Nightly News. If we choose not to force people to vaccinate (which is a tricky subject), then banning unvaccinated people from being in public places seems like a good idea to me.

[Dandruff]

1 hour ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

I think this is the article? 

https://abc7ny.com/health/measles-outbreak-rockland-bars-unvaccinated-from-public-places/5218203/

I saw a segment about this on the NBC Nightly News. If we choose not to force people to vaccinate (which is a tricky subject), then banning unvaccinated people from being in public places seems like a good idea to me.

Good idea, but it seems like it may be hard to enforce. 

I wonder if private schools are exempt from the ban.  If not, I hope other parents at the school will put pressure on the parents of unvaccinated kids.  While the vaccinated school-age kids should be safe, I'm concerned about measles virus potentially being brought home to infant siblings on clothing, backpacks, etc.

[Howl]

THE TRUE DOLLAR COST OF THE ANTI-VACCINE MOVEMENT

[Ali]

There is a measles outbreak in the area I live in Michigan. There have been 22 confirmed cases. I have a newborn and I am going to try to minimize taking him out the house as much as I can. I wish there was more I could do to protect him. I got the MMR vaccination after delivering because my titers came back negative for Rubella. My three year old will be getting his booster early next week so that he can have some additional immunity. The practice we go to has been scheduling measles vaccination clinics and encouraging all eligible children to get the vaccination early or booster early.

https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/03/what-you-need-to-know-about-michigans-measles-outbreak.html

I have no tolerance for anti-vaxers right now.

Edited March 30, 2019 by Ali

[SilverBeach]

People are prohibited ("forced", if you will) from ingesting recreational drugs into their very own bodies. I feel the law is very much overreaching in this area. Yet, requiring vaccinations to protect public health is a problem? Somebody getting high does not put me at risk of a dread disease.

Anyone looking for 100% assurance of anything in this life had best dispatch themselves now, not going to happen. Yes, when the odds are really small of something happening, whether good or bad, somebody will be in that really small cohort. It may be that they have characteristics that increase their likelihood of an adverse event. In any case, reliable statistics based on a large number of events using valid methodologies are extremely useful for making decisions regarding the risk of any given situation. The risk of planes crashing is infinitesimally small, but not zero. People are generally not afraid to fly.

I am very frustrated with the anti-intellectualism that has led to climate change deniers and anti-vaxxers. It's not smart or helpful to hold onto fringe beliefs regardless of evidence to the contrary. Young people defying their parents to get vaccinated have my utmost respect, as their parents are idiots.

Everybody stay safe out there.