“News” stories abut the measles' “epidemic”

Note: Apologies to Bonnie and readers. This blog entry was supposed to be published in March, 2015, but, unfortunately, it also dropped through the cracks.

Dear Friends,

Here it is March and we have been getting a steady stream of “news” stories abut the measles' “epidemic” with new scares of a measles worldwide “pandemic.” The stories have been in numerous newspapers, along with editorials promoting vaccines; many TV shows, including The Doctors and Dr. Oz; magazines such as Bottom Line—you name it, and there was probably a story dealing with vaccination.

Perhaps you've heard the stories about measles' parties in California—with doctors coming out against them—while at the same time admitting that a case of measles will bring life-long immunity. (The Doctors TV show, March 4, 2015).

Or, maybe  you've heard that it is primarily rich parents in California who didn't get their children vaccinated.   How selfish they are—putting others at risk!!! Or, the stories of it being mostly poor or uneducated parents refusing vaccines for their children.

This has led to lawmakers now taking advantage and  going after philosophical and religious exemptions—leaving only the medical exemption.  Even in the Congress, it is mostly Democrats, such as Senator Dianne Feinstein sponsoring legislation for Forced Adult vaccination! (Years ago, I was told by a NYS legislative aide that the Democrats initiate vaccination legislation and then embarrass Republicans to go along with it—the idea being that Republicans don't care about the health of our children—a sad commentary on both political parties).

(Back around 1998, the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics voted to work to do away with the religious and philosophical exemptions—seems like they will finally get their way—they are better organized and more persistent than we are).

If you go back to December of 2014 there were a few news articles about mumps--”Mumps invades the NHL,” Watertown Daily Times, December 12, 2014.   Or the March 1 issue of Bottom Line with the small article headline “The Mumps is Back.”  That little article ended with “Teens and young adults may need a booster if mumps appears in the community.”

In reviewing my files I came across a letter I sent to the Editor of the Watertown, NY Daily Times, April 7, 1992 referring to the news reports of measles outbreaks at that time—then officials were blaming nurses for not properly storing the vaccines.  The information I gave in that letter remains  true today.

“Some facts ( I wrote in 1992) left out of any discussion of vaccine failure are that even a properly-administered live measles vaccine lasts up to 15 years, Mumps vaccine lasts for at least 10 ½  years and the rubella vaccine doesn't really work.  The Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases stated those facts as early as 1985...”

Thus, the bottom line remains that anyone who has received the MMR vaccines is susceptible throughout their lives to the diseases and the government and medical profession will take advantage of any new outbreak to scare people into getting constantly revaccinated  instead of reevaluating the vaccine program.  They can get away with it because there is no knowledge of the history and there is not enough outcry against it.

Until next time,
Bonnie P. Franz