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.”

“Hi, Suzanne.”

“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.