Calif - 9 Babies Dead of Whooping Cough, Epidemic Spreading

[onager]

You can also find this article - irony of ironies - on HuffPo. This is from NBC-San Diego. I'm not linking to PuffHo:


AP - California's whooping cough epidemic is on track to break a 55-year record, with 4,017 infections and nine deaths statewide this year, according to state health officials.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious, cyclical illness that peaks in number of infections every five years. This is a peak year, and is on track to exceed the record 4,949 cases reported in 1955...

All of the deaths occurred in babies too young to be fully immunized against the illness.

State health officials are urging parents and caregivers to get booster shots to create a cocoon of immunity around vulnerable children.

More and more parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children. In fact, the number of parents opting out has nearly quadrupled in the last 20 years.

A report by the San Diego Watchdog Institute found parents are mainly choosing not to immunize their kids against the measles, mumps, and whooping cough.

State department of public health spokesman Ken August says children who aren't vaccinated may be required to stay home under the authority of county health departments, in the event of an outbreak.

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/health/9-Dead-From-Whooping-Cough--103065589.html

[lazarus]

1. infuriating

I lost an infant to SIDS. People who would knowingly risk their infant's lives are bad parents. This just pisses me off beyond belief.

[ZombieHorde]

6. I have a three month old baby, I am really sorry to read about your loss. nt

[lazarus]

8. thank you

his birthday was a couple of weeks ago, so I'm particularly sensitive right now.

[laconicsax]

2. But don't you know? This has nothing to do with anti-vaxers!

Cranks on the Internet say so, so it must be true!

[Warpy]

3. Most of the people who spread it to the infants

were likely adults who brushed off adult whooping cough, usually a milder illness, as a cold or flu.

The good news is that there is a vaccine for older children and adults now. It's come out just in the last few years. Anyone who will be around an infant from parents to grandparents to babysitters, really needs to get the vaccine since the childhood vaccination wears off.

Whooping cough is a fairly efficient killer of infants and toddlers who get it can expect a 2 year recovery period. It's a severe illness.

The only way a parent should be able to opt out of vaccination for reasons of "conscience" is to homeschool their children.

[laconicsax]

4. Disagree.

Homeschooling doesn't mean "isolate."

[PADemD]

5. It's in PA, too, according to my family doctor.

Got the booster shot this week!

[Codeine]

7. Not even then.

Failure to vaccinate without a valid medical reason should be rounds for the state taking custody of the children.