Health and Sanity category archive

Via the Las Vegas Sun, the New York Times editorial board thinks that, under RFK Jr., the prognosis for infectious diseases bright–for the diseases, that is.

Not so much for people.

A snippet (emphasis added):

A vast majority of American children — more than 90% by most estimates — are still vaccinated for measles. But it takes a threshold of 95% to stop the illness from spreading, and in too many communities, the rates are lower than that already or falling fast. In Idaho, just 78.5% of kindergartners were vaccinated for measles last school year. Nationwide vaccination rates for several other diseases — including flu, hepatitis B, rotavirus, Hib, polio and whooping cough — are also down.

Measles are spreading. Per WTKR.com, South Carolina is experiencing its worst outbreak in over three decades. Here’s snippet from their report (emphasis added):

Babies too young to be vaccinated are among the most vulnerable in a measles outbreak. The disease can wreak havoc on their fragile bodies, making them so sick they stop eating and drinking. They can develop pneumonia or brain swelling, and sometimes die.

Babies depend entirely on herd immunity — at least 95% of a community must be vaccinated to prevent measles outbreaks. But dropping vaccination rates have eroded protection in South Carolina and across the nation. In Spartanburg County, the outbreak’s epicenter, less than 90% of students have gotten required vaccines.

This is what happens when science deniers deny science and stupid people believe them.

And we are a society of stupid.

Sam and the crew dissect RFK Jr.’s bogus blather.

Rebecca Watson debunks some bunco.

Or you can read the transcript.

Sam and the crew discuss AOC’s masterful calling out a CVS executive for monopoly practices.

Once again, we are reminded that that’s not scripture. That’s a Republican family value. Dr. Leah Luckeroth points out that

By removing both meningitis vaccines, MenACWY and MenB, from the list of those recommended in the childhood immunization schedule and shifting them to “shared clinical decision-making,” the CDC has placed an unbearable burden on health care providers and parents — and put our children at risk.

Follow the link for her reasoning.

Bloomberg’s Lisa Jarvis looks at the potential results of RFK Jr.’s choosing to ignore over almost three centuries of evidence that vaccines work.

And that future is already our present.

Afterthought:

I was a young ‘un before measles vaccines. Measles were considered almost a rite of passage for children back then. I can tell you, measles is not a fun way to get out of going to school.

And now today’s Republican Party wants to bring that past into our present.

David discusses how Donald Trump and RFK Jr. have made measles great again.