vaccination | Dr. Suze Espouses

Because of my age and lack of vaccines, I had chicken pox, mumps, three-day measles, and Rubella. I vividly recall my bout with Rubella, when I was sentenced to my dark bedroom for ten days. It was, indeed, the dark ages, I had no TV, cell phone, or radio, which was okay because I was a pile of red bumps and swollen eyes that couldn’t focus. And unfortunately, many children who contracted Rubella went blind, developed rheumatic fever, other serious health complications, or died.

As was the practice, my parents’ front door had a red sign taped to the front door: Quarantined. Do Not Enter. Thankfully, I survived and was eager to go back to school, but I couldn’t until a visiting nurse from the city health department came and pronounced by noncontagious. “I’ve cleared Suzanne to go back to school on Monday morning.”

Hallelujah! I had a lot of catching up to do. My antsy, nine-old-self had a very bad case of FOMO! I was so excited when the yellow bus stopped; I practically skipped up its steps. Whoa! This is the last stop before school, and there’s only five kids on the bus. Why is that? Upon arrival at school, I bolted up the stairs to the second floor to my classroom. “Hi, Mrs. Tchatch. Did you miss me?”

“Of course, Suzanne. Sit down. We’ll get started soon.”

“Hi, Suzanne.”

“Giny, where is everybody?” I asked. (Giny was the youngest of three and I was the eldest of three; she always knew more about life than I did.)

“You know my mom, talked to your mom, and they made sure we got measles, so we’d be immune.”

I didn’t know that, but whenever Giny spoke, I didn’t want her to think I was clueless. “Oh, right. I forgot. So where is everyone else?”

“At home with the measles.”

Then, thanks to science, the outbreak of childhood diseases of Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Chicken Pox disappeared…until, ill-informed fanatics decided not to vaccinate their offspring.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Arizona has one of the lowest kindergarten vaccine rates at 92.4%. (Only lower were: Utah, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Idaho.) One might think that 92.4% is darn good, but it’s not good enough for herd immunity. Yep, we’re all part of the herd, and it is incumbent upon us to protect weaker people. In the case of children, it would be those kids with weakened immune systems, such as those in chemotherapy. Herd immunity can not be achieved until 95+% are vaccinated.

Until that is accomplished, anti-vaxers, please home school or set up private schools for your children. You’re not welcomed in the herd.

I’m a septuagenarian, and I had it all. Chicken Pox, Mumps, and both strains of Measles. Thanks to a sugar cube I didn’t end up with polo. And while I managed to survive these childhood diseases, I’ve vivid recollection of being sequestered to my dark bedroom when I contracted the nine-day measles. The deadly one, which can also result in rheumatic fever and other serious complications, such as blindness. But thanks to modern medicine and a plethora of vaccines, these have all been eradicated until recently.

According to a recent CBS News report, at least 8,500 American schools have measles vaccination rates below the 95% threshold. The Center for Disease Control indicates that threshold is “crucial for protecting a community from measles.” Communities must have high vaccination rates to “maintain herd immunity and prevent outbreaks. Further, herd immunity protects those who can’t get vaccinated due to health issues like cancer.”

Among the reasons for the decline in vaccinations are: mistrust and misinformation via social media, political influences, and fear of vaccines. Further, some states allow exemptions for philosophical reasons! A fact I find absurd to put an entire kindergarten class at risk for a preventable, debilitating illness.

Several years ago, half of the schools in Maine were below the 95% immunity threshold from parents claiming religious exemptions. Thankfully, the churches joined a coalition of medical, pediatric, and teacher organizations to promote vaccinations. Rev. Jane Field, executive director of the Maine Council of Churches stated, “When it comes to public health, for us, it didn’t seem radical at all to say, in this instance, the way we love our neighbor is to get vaccinated, to protect the vulnerable, to protect the marginalized, the young, the very old, the sick.”

Perhaps, my pediatrician friend said it best. “Our practice does not treat unvaccinated, school-age children. We have neither the time, nor the patience to deal with ignorance.” In other words, Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That.