RE: Abstaining from Vaccination should NOT be a right
February 27, 2012 at 12:24 pm
(This post was last modified: February 27, 2012 at 12:27 pm by Phil.)
(February 27, 2012 at 12:13 pm)Shell B Wrote: Unless you are in the healthcare industry, are several years older than I am and/or served in the U.S. military, neither do you.I am old so I already have been vaccinated against smallpox, never been in the military but what makes you think I am not in the healthcare industry?
(February 27, 2012 at 12:23 pm)Shell B Wrote:(February 27, 2012 at 12:19 pm)Rhythm Wrote: I did serve, I was vaccinated. Let's use me as an example of why it isn't an individual rights issue (as per the case I linked you). I go out into the third world, I get smallpox (in this hypothetical the vaccination is not mandatory, and smallpox has not been "eradicated"), I bring smallpox home (I wish it was more far fetched then it actually is), where we no longer vaccinate. Now, thankfully we have treatments, and anyone I'm likely to drag down with me...(say you..and your hypothetical kids) will probably receive excellent medical care and ultimately be just fine.
Or, we could mandate vaccinations and avoid the whole bit, maybe even "eradicate" an infectious disease (if we're super lucky).
Decisions decisions....
That is actually a poor example. Here's why. A servicemember is not part of the general population. You were given an informed decision. You chose to serve in the military, presumably knowing that you would be vaccinated for fucking everything. You were also presumably going where vaccinations are uncommon. You were not hanging out poolside in the U.S. with nary a virus in sight when some politician decided to vaccinate you anyway.
But he did return and was hanging out poolside chit chatting with you and Melanbee, she was vaccinated so not exposed. You got a full blown case of smallpox.
