“Ten Greatest Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century” is a list that was compiled by the CDC to highlight the biggest achievements that pushed our life expectancy up by over 40% between 1900–1999. Some of these include vaccinations, motor vehicle safety, family planning, recognition of tobacco use as a health hazard and six other great achievements.
The credit to the drastic increase in quality of life can be given to many things but the biggest to those on the list. Through these accomplishments, humans are living better and longer.
However, a growing sentiment is beginning to take ahold of many Americans that could threaten a reversal of quality of life if not dealt with.
Yes, I’m talking about anti-vaxxers.
Anti-Vax sentiment has increased dramatically over the years and no matter what doctors say, many of those that believe in this opinion refuse to listen to medical professionals.
Some of you guys might be asking yourselves:
“Why, why would someone become anti-vax in the first place?”
The one scientific paper that “proved” vaccines caused autism was disproven. The individual even had his medical license removed because of the
“serious procedural errors, undisclosed financial conflicts of interest, and ethical violations.”(Vaccines Myths Rebuked, 2019).
Not to mention, there have been record high increase in diagnosis for diseases like measles that haven’t been seen the in the days before the vaccine was created.
In New York specifically, these cases stemmed from a specific “ ultra-Orthodox Jewish population in Brooklyn, and to a lesser extent, Rockland County, which anti-vaccine groups have had some success at targeting with misinformation” resulting in over 1000 cases of measles.
The disease itself was said to have been eliminated in the U.S since 2000 but has made a combat in the last couple of years due to individuals against vaccines.
So even with all of these cases and the disproven scientific research, why has anti-vax sentiment been on the rise?
Anti vaccinations are the product of years of privilege that has caused individuals to believe vaccines are bad and unnecessary to themselves and those around them.
The privilege of this opinion has a lot to do with where the individual comes from as well.
The Philadelphia Inquiry did a report based on the National Immunization Surveys which stated that most of those who are anti-vax:
“are often white, college-educated, ‘Whole Foods moms’” (Lubrano, 2019).
Yeah it’s hitting a bit on the nose for a few, uh?
The article gives a run-down on what happens to those white, educated moms.
- They start to question why their doctor does the things they do.
- They look up the word vaccine.
- They make their opinions based on few noncredible sources.
- They join a facebook group with moms against vaccines.
- Their views get amplified.
- They spread that misinformation to others.
- The cycle then repeats.
What makes it more horrifying is that these smart women are educated enough to absorb and research information on vaccines, however, the conclusion of these investigations lead them to deny the effectiveness and create a rhetoric meant to convey how “bad” vaccines are.
This is a dangerous narrative that has brought many diseases back from extinction in the U.S (like measles, mumps, and polio) which will only continue to be diagnosed all across the U.S if we don’t take a step to talk about the privilege that is exhibited due to our own ignorance about what can happen and our own lack of faith in our medical professionals who have studied this for years.
One of the most notorious people who are anti-vax and are bringing about the resurgence of these new diseases are celebrities.
In 2007, Jenny McCarthy released a statement that incorrectly stated that her son’s autism was caused by vaccines
She was one of the first celebrities that have “come out” as being anti vaccine in the 2000’s, a list that now include big names like Jim Carrey, Robert Dinero, Charlie Sheen, Bill Maher, and recently added celebrity Jessica Biel. This trend of celebrities who have released statements on being anti-vax is dangerous, to not only their kids but to the general public who are exposed to this repeated rhetoric. A rhetoric that is not only lacking in scientific basis but is also a rhetoric filled with mass amounts of privilege and entitlement.
Here are A-List celebrities, some who have specialized diets, doctors, yes-men, and medical professionals they have all chosen specifically, will most likely never be exposed to the same environment that would prompt many of these new diseases in the U.S.
Even then, the U.S is a country that is currently not facing many diseases that are still lingering in poor nations across the globe due to lack of vaccine rates in those countries. The U.S is not facing an epidemic of cases like Tuberculosis, Ebola, Yellow Fever, and Diphtheria and, hopefully, we will never have to face these diseases again.
This is the conditioning of the anti vax message.
The movement focuses not on the scientific fact or even the history of vaccines, but rather on the fear of vaccines. This fear is able to prompt anti-vax individuals to spread the fear to others who do not have the same privilege they do. Which drastically increases the risk that these individuals will catch the disease. Which will drastically increase the chance that those who are immunodeficient (pregnant women, elderly, cancer patients, babies, and anyone deemed immunodeficient) will have a likelier chance of becoming ill and dying.
Anti-Vax people, what to heck?
Why?
It’s not easy to convince people (especially celebrities) why ‘x’ is correct if they’re already set in their ways and deemed ‘y’ the answer despite a lot of information. However, probably the only good thing that has come out of the internet from these poorly placed opinons about vaccines is the memes.
Yes, you read it.
Memes, all talking about anti-vax children the anti -vaccers themselves have flooded the internet and have really given a bit of twisted humor to the whole situation. These individuals who are against vaccines, will most likely not change their minds. As that goes on, we got to be prevalent on all media platforms and celebrate this wonderful holiday meant to share the importance of vaccines to the world and how they can have helped us.
So enjoy the month and enjoy some memes.
There is no rhyme, reason, or idea as to why anti vaccines are a trend that these individuals decided was the hill they would die on.
Vaccines have benefited humanity so much. In the 1900’s if a kid made it past the age of 5, there was a chance they would probably (still a slight risk) survive into adulthood because infectious diseases were endemic in the U.S. Many kids died from infectious diseases, and it was normal. Our whole medical field in the late 20th and entering 21st century has been shifting from an infectious diseases focus, into a chronic disease focus because of the drastic decrease infectious diseases in this country have killed people. Because we have managed to shift the odds when it comes to surviving till adult and dying of natural causes.
How amazing is that?
I would much prefer if we don’t go back to those scary times again thank you very much.
So celebrate this month by updating your vaccines and getting your 1-year check-up from an actual physician y’all, you might need it.
