Vaccination hits record high in the US

[Aoidoi]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/07/27/child.vaccinations.ap/index.html

A couple thoughts on this. First, despite all the anti-vaccination smokescreens, they still set the record for number of vaccinations. So one way or another, kids are getting the protection they should.

Second, 81% is the record? Somehow I always assumed the numbers where much higher. Maybe some kids are just vaccinated later? Or is it normal to have 20% not vaccinated?

 

[Bronze Dog]

I hope to Ed that anti-vaxxer propaganda is now as transparent to the average Joe as it is for me. That would be a big score for critical thinking.

 

[Chris Haynes]

..Second, 81% is the record? Somehow I always assumed the numbers where much higher. Maybe some kids are just vaccinated later? Or is it normal to have 20% not vaccinated?

If you check the age group, from the original press release http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r050726.htm

with about 81 percent of the nation’s 19-to-35-month-old children receiving all the vaccinations in the recommended series.

... You will notice that is the toddler age group. The higher rates are for those kids entering kindergarten at age 5 when schools require vaccinations (or a valid excuse).

This is an age group that can be particularly vulnerable to pertussis and hepatitis (HepB is really nasty if you get young, and many do... despite the anti-vax folks who say it is only through sex --- it can be transmitted through other bodily fluids on toys. Kids leak.)

 

[edthedoc]

"This is an age group that can be particularly vulnerable to pertussis and hepatitis (HepB is really nasty if you get young, and many do... despite the anti-vax folks who say it is only through sex --- it can be transmitted through other bodily fluids on toys. Kids leak."

I have never in my career seen a child contract Hep B through any other route than from birth, blood transfusion, sex or accidental/deliberate injection.

I'm particularly curious about your suggestion that Hep B can be contracted from childrens' toys. Any evidence to support this?

 

[Chris Haynes]

Oh, crud... no.

I remember discussions on Usenet like this:
How do you get HepB ...
and this:
Vaccination Support

So it was a general feeling from past unverified reading, including this:
http://www.pkids.org/kids_infect_kids.htm

That implies it is tranmitted more casually... like through saliva, where this:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5251a3.htm it is blood and sexually transmitted, BUT that the decline only really happened when they started to vaccinate kids and not just the ones they thought were the most high risk populations.

my bad

 

[Deetee]

No need for any "my bads"
There is always a concern about blood/bodily fluids and transmission of blood-borne-viruses in young kids. Its a risk, but a small one. In countries with high underlying prevalence of Hep B, this becomes more of a concern.

You are quite correct in pointing out that in kids there is a higher risk of future problems - about 90% of neonates born with Hep B from their mothers will become chronic carriers, but up to 50% of those infected as infants 1-5yrs will also do so (as opposed to 5-10% of adults)

 

[Chris Haynes]

Well, I do know that if there is anyplace where mistakes will get trounced on it is here! So it seems better to admit mistakes (especially when my info was from remembering posts made on Usenet years ago).

 

[Aoidoi]

It's all worth it for the "kids leak" line.

I have to use that one.

So this is the earlier vaccinations than the stuff you have to get to go to pre-school. That makes sense.

Mostly, I just wanted to point out some good news since certain nice but rather curtmudgeonly men like to point out the decline of civilization as we know it on (for example) a weekly basis. Things aren't all bad, and I'd even argue that things are pretty good.

 

[Bronze Dog]

Mostly, I just wanted to point out some good news since certain nice but rather curtmudgeonly men like to point out the decline of civilization as we know it on (for example) a weekly basis. Things aren't all bad, and I'd even argue that things are pretty good.

I'm generally of the opinion that there's lots of good news out there. But we don't hear about it because the media needs something to keep people glued to the set during the commercials. "Coming up after the break: Does using paperclips instead of staples put you at risk of cancer? When we return..."

 

[Aoidoi]

I'm generally of the opinion that there's lots of good news out there. But we don't hear about it because the media needs something to keep people glued to the set during the commercials. "Coming up after the break: Does using paperclips instead of staples put you at risk of cancer? When we return..."

"If you don't watch our next segment, YOU COULD DIE! AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL BE EATEN BY WOLVERINES!"

Yeah, the sensationalistic coverage really raises the noise floor. I really feel that most people are pretty reasonable, it's just that some of the crazies are a lot louder than the rational people. It only takes one idiot in a movie theater to ruin the film for a hundred courteous people.

 

[TobiasTheViking]

I have no respect for parents that wont vacinate their kids(unless there is some good reason like an allergic reaction). So this is good. I respect 80% of americans with toddlers.

 

[Bronze Dog]

I have no respect for parents that wont vacinate their kids(unless there is some good reason like an allergic reaction). So this is good. I respect 80% of americans with toddlers.

Yeah. Parents who don't vaccinate (barring legitimate medical reasons, of course) go right up there on my list slightly below those who don't teach seatbelt buckling and a fair distance above those who buy their kids Grand Theft Auto.

 

[Eos of the Eons]

Thank you so much for posting that. While there was a touch of bad news in the report:

Already this year, 15 infants have died from whooping cough

The good news is that there aren't more deaths, and there would be if the vaccination rate were lower.

With all the depressing sensational mistruths in the news from Kennedy and others, I was feeling discouraged. This helps. I wonder if the Canadian rates are as good?