Slashdot Mirror
Mississippi - the Nation's Leader In Vaccination Rates
HughPickens.com writes The NYT reports that Mississippi — which ranks as one of the worst states for smoking, obesity and physical inactivity — seldom is viewed as a leader on health issues. But it is one of two states that permit neither religious nor philosophical exemptions to its vaccination program. Only children with medical conditions that would be exacerbated by vaccines may enroll in Mississippi schools without completing the immunization schedule, which calls for five vaccines. With a vaccination rate of greater than 99.7%, Mississippi leads the national median by five percentage points and has the country's highest immunization rate among kindergarten students.
However, in recent weeks, the nearly unbending nature of Mississippi's law requiring students to be vaccinated has been in jeopardy, with two dozen lawmakers publicly supporting an exemption for "conscientious beliefs" turning Mississippi into one more battleground between medical experts who champion vaccinations and parents who fear the government's role in medical decision-making. "We have been a victim of our success, and people don't realize how bad these diseases are," said Mississippi state epidemiologist, Dr. Thomas E. Dobbs III, before lawmakers met to consider a bill that would have expanded exceptions to the vaccine requirement. Members of the education committee for the House of Representatives, in effect, endorsed the state's current approach. By a voice vote, they advanced a heavily amended version of the bill that now calls for only technical changes to Mississippi's law, which has been largely untouched since the late 1970s. The amended version of House Bill 130 puts into law the state's existing practice of granting medical waivers to children whose physicians request them, and in doing so, removes the Mississippi Department of Health's ability to deny such requests. "If a medical professional thinks it's wise not to vaccinate, then that will be the gospel," said House Education Committee Chairman John Moore, R-Brandon.
However, in recent weeks, the nearly unbending nature of Mississippi's law requiring students to be vaccinated has been in jeopardy, with two dozen lawmakers publicly supporting an exemption for "conscientious beliefs" turning Mississippi into one more battleground between medical experts who champion vaccinations and parents who fear the government's role in medical decision-making. "We have been a victim of our success, and people don't realize how bad these diseases are," said Mississippi state epidemiologist, Dr. Thomas E. Dobbs III, before lawmakers met to consider a bill that would have expanded exceptions to the vaccine requirement. Members of the education committee for the House of Representatives, in effect, endorsed the state's current approach. By a voice vote, they advanced a heavily amended version of the bill that now calls for only technical changes to Mississippi's law, which has been largely untouched since the late 1970s. The amended version of House Bill 130 puts into law the state's existing practice of granting medical waivers to children whose physicians request them, and in doing so, removes the Mississippi Department of Health's ability to deny such requests. "If a medical professional thinks it's wise not to vaccinate, then that will be the gospel," said House Education Committee Chairman John Moore, R-Brandon.
I grew up in the 80s and although I'm not American I looked up to America as the greatest country on the face of the planet. I dreamed of ways of one day making it to the States. I'd've signed up for a 10 year hitch in the military; anything to be an American. Now you look at the US and you give your head a shake because it's one of the most embarrassingly paranoid, crazytown countries there is. It's no different than Russia, China, Iran or North Korea. And the quality of life there is also about the same as in those countries. You can see glimmers of hope once in awhile in terms of science or something but it's quickly snuffed out by the nutjobs who are infinitely louder. I'm following the run up to the 2016 election and you've got presidential candidates *arguing* over vaccinations. Are you fucking serious? Jenny McCarthy was able to create this much confusion? Dudes what in the fuck are you guys up to? Cut your defense budget by half. You'll still have all the weps you need. Pull your military back home from places like Germany, Japan, and Italy. That war's over. Triple NASA's budget. Fund healthcare like every other civilized country. Get back on the right track. Sadly, I don't think it'll ever happen. No matter who gets elected he'll just be shouted down by the other side. The States is sunk and it's really a tragedy. I think it can be traced back to the JFK assassination. The States was on the right track and then 24 hours after he's killed LBJ signs the order to invade Vietnam. It was ALL downhill from there. I realize that now. Well, good luck "convincing" your population that vaccines are safe and beneficial. Even Nigeria was laughing at you today saying maybe they'll have to screen Americans for measles. :(
I'm a moderate anti-vaxxer -- one of the many who separate, delay and select. When I read the Slashdot summary that said "5 vaccines", I thought, "oh, that's not so bad." But I just now looked it up and it's really between 7 and 11 (11 for those of us who separate, as two of the 7 are triple-vaccines):
Ironically, opposition to science on this hot button issue is coming from the liberal, upscale, and predominantly female demographic, instead of from the poor, under educated, and religious.
It makes sense in a way. Protecting ones own interest ahead of the many interests of others smacks of entitlement.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway