Anti-Vaxxer Sympathy

[Aroura]

Letting people make this choice as individuals is causing the herd immunity to drop into the mid 80's%, I think where I live it is now 83% immunized, WELL below what is safe for us as a group.

People need to realize that the good of the community IS for the good of their individual child.  So....that makes me not get your argument.  I immunize my child toprotect her, but also to protect the kid next door with bone marrow disease who cannot get immunized.  If people can't see that, then it needs to be forced on them.  Period.

The number you quoted is probably irrelevant. 83% of children would be immunised against all communicable diseases, however if you were to look disease by disease it would be higher - for example 87-89% or so. So the herd immunity is actually stronger than the 83% number would suggest.

Again there many reasons why the other 17% are not immunised. Access to affordable health care; mistrust in the healthcare system; fear of the healthcare system; children who missed getting immunised because of other reasons and who haven't been followed up on; etc. People relying on older more outdated information. People not realising there is a need. People who aren't offered the opportunity or who aren't followed-up on if they "miss" an opportunity. People who have never had a healthcare practitioner explain the needs to them.

That last point is essential - you cannot assume people will know about a need without it being effectively communicated to them from a healthcare practitioner. If practitioners don't take the time to explain to their clients why a service is needed then you cannot expect people to understand about it. You can't just run government TV advertising or put a bulletin in a school newspaper. A nurse or a doctor or a pharmacist or someone who is a healthcare practitioner needs to effectively communicate to the clients why there is a service that they feel their client should access.

Actually, I know a lot of people who refuse to immunize.  I live in Oregon.  A lot of people here think it is "unnatural" and prefer homoeopathy or naturopathy. I suppose that is distrust for organized medicine, but Oregon has very good public health care for the poor (I know, I've been homeless here and I was still able to get basic healthcare).

And our last point in response to my last point I guess is THE point.  It's all about education. I mean, a doctor can explain all day, but if the person has a distrust built in from society, then they aren't going to get anywhere. (Oh Portland, I love thee, but thou art full of unwashed hippies who will never listen to a "real" doctor!)  
I don't mean, getting a HS diploma or going to college, just general education about the necessity and safety of vaccines.  I wish there was more of that, but I wouldn't know how to even go about it.

I have noticed a growing tendency for pediatricians to actually refuse to take patients who's parents refuse to vaccinate (without a good medical reason), in order to protect their little patients who cannot vaccinate for legitimate medical reason.
It's a really hot topic where I live, and becoming more and more divisive.  I don't blame the doctors or the patients so much as I do celebrity morons who keep promoting the lies, like Jenny McCarthy.

Also, if state laws allow people to opt out of vaccinations without even giving a good reason ~Cough again OREGON~, then really, it's kind of the states fault.