Personal choice versus the immunity of the 'herd': Readers, print and digital, debate the anti-vaxxer trend in the wake of Canada's expanding measles outbreak
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The least of the concerns of the measles virus is the rash. To put this in modern-day terms, here is what would probably happen to Canada's population of 35 million, of whom about six million are children under 15, if measles vaccine did not exist.
Using approximate numbers based on historical data, we would see up to half a million new measles cases per year. About 12,000 children would develop pneumonia, some requiring life support, and some dying. About 25,000 children would sustain ear infections, some of them becoming permanently deaf.
Up to 500 of these children would suffer brain infection by measles virus (encephalitis), leaving many with mental retardation, epilepsy, or both. Some 10 years later, about 50 survivors would have developed SSPE, a fatal dementing condition similar to "mad cow disease."
These numbers would be for a single year. Childhood is a virological gauntlet of 15 such years. Measles is incredibly infectious, much more so than Ebola.
Before vaccination existed, almost everyone surviving to adulthood had already contracted measles and was therefore immune for the rest of their life. Vaccination trains a child's immune system against the measles virus by exposing it to a hobbled form of the virus, much too weak to cause actual sickness.
Yet a small contingent of the proudly ignorant require their children to go unimmunized, even those who know the supposed link to autism was a hoax, retracted in 2010.
Vance Makin, clinical neurologist, Vancouver
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The decision as to what happens to my body is mine alone. This is guaranteed by the Charter. Coercion otherwise is also not a great option.
Why not focus on making a superior vaccine product? Maybe then there will be more agreement.
Shawna Mackenzie, Kamloops, B.C.
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With confirmed cases of measles in British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec, it's evident that Canada is susceptible to transmittable diseases. Although restrictive vaccination laws are enforced in Ontario and New Brunswick, children can be exempt due to medical, religious and personal reasons. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 4.8 per cent of 24-month-olds were not up to date on measles vaccinations in 2011.
Stephen Harper's administration must implement a plan that provides incentives for parents to ensure their children receive necessary vaccinations. The most obvious way is through changes in the tax code. Parents who fail to immunize their children should not receive tax benefits such as the Child Tax Benefit.
David Im, Toronto
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Most of his short life was spent in a wheelchair with stick-thin limbs and a twisted spine that put pressure on his lungs. Heavy metal braces and matching canes attached to his wrists allowed him to stand occasionally on his own steam. A healthy toddler, at age 2 he was struck with polio in the epidemic that swept a across Canada. At 16, he died.
His name was Michael. He was my eldest brother. Today, parents have access to publicly funded vaccines to immunize children against a number of diseases but still there are those who refuse to do so in the misguided belief it will cause more harm than good.
The prevention of the injustice that is illness is one of humanity's greatest achievements; the development of vaccines falls into this category. To scorn and ignore those achievements isn't just misguided, it's selfish. Vaccination works on the principle of the many protecting the few. The more people in a population who do not get vaccinated, the more the whole population is jeopardized. That's how the global community is progressing on the eradication of polio and why more children in Canada have not suffered like my brother did.
Vaccinate your children.
Joni MacFarlane, Hillcrest, Alta.
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Pro choice means recognizing that people have autonomy over their own bodies (including their children).
Instead of ridiculing parents who choose not to vaccinate, engage with them in meaningful dialogue.
Bernadette Wycks, Toronto
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You don't want to vaccinate, fine, take away medical coverage. Taxpayers should not be on the hook for stupidity. Children shouldn't either.
Marc Legros, Maple Ridge, B.C.
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) list of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases includes: diphtheria, influenza type b (Hib), hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, measles, meningococcal disease, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumococcal disease, polio, rotavirus (severe diarrhea), rubella (German measles), tetanus (lockjaw), varicella (chickenpox).
Parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated might be asked: To which of these are you prepared to subject your children in lieu of having them vaccinated?
Jack Tennier, Toronto
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The anti-vaxxers themselves, their beliefs and their importance, aren't what we should be looking at.
What their existence and persistence underlines is the quickly declining credibility of government, media and other formally infallible "official" institutions.
We should be looking into, seriously and scientifically, why people are becoming so distrustful of institutions of the status quo, a phenomenon which, needless to say, extends far beyond anti-vaxxers (and perhaps with more credible examples).
Julian Benson, Toronto
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The stupidity (yes, that's the only word that properly fits) of parents who choose not to vaccinate their children is mind boggling. Here is the conundrum: How do you tell fools they are fools?
David Dussault, Montreal
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ON REFLECTION Letters to the editor
Requiem for a straw man
In Preston Manning's commentary Death: A Nine-Point Plan For Legislators (Feb. 20), he asserts that "The highest duty of the state is to affirm and preserve human life rather than sanction the taking of it."
Where does he get that mandate? It's not in the Bible, it's not in the Constitution, it's not in the Charter. It is in fact a straw man. Basing a nine-point plan on a non-existent mandate seems rather futile. Holding on to earthly life at all cost is not a very Christian idea, either. Life in Christ is about eternity, not the temporal.
Willem Hart, Toronto
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Draconian: You're joking?
Re Punishment Must Fit The Offence (editorial, Feb. 20): "Inflexible, draconian federal government policy"? You must be kidding. The government gave SNC-Lavalin the chance to reach a settlement on corporate fraud and bribery charges.
SNC had a chance to "set things right or make amends" and didn't accept it. If thousands of employees lose their jobs it will not be because of the government's actions, but because of the arrogance of SNC's leadership that got the company into this mess in the first place.
Raymond Rea, Hamilton
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Model for politics of terror
During the 2004 presidential campaign of George W. Bush, the GOP ran ads attacking the Democratic nominee. In typical GOP style, the ads stretched the truth to mislead an electorate still reeling from 9/11. Weak on security was the message as a pack of wolves prepared to attack while a wary female voice-over intoned "weakness attracts those who are waiting to do America harm." Given the Harper Conservatives' penchant for GOP-style tactics and the introduction of Bill C-51, we can no doubt expect the same kind of propaganda very soon.
Dave Nonen, Victoria
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The court is too powerful
Re Who Is Judging The Judges? (Feb. 19): Unelected Supreme Court judges are acting like a wolf pack, laying down laws they should have no right to make. For example, their decision in favour of First Nations in the Tsilhqot'in land claim has ramifications far beyond what the unelected Supremes should be allowed to do.
As Gordon Gibson said, if we don't approve of politicians, we can show them the door after four years. The Supremes are in for life. That is just plain wrong and must be changed.
Jacob Entz, Okotoks, Alta.