Q’s for non vaxxers

DS is coming up 17 months and has had all but the 15 month imms ans I don't think I will continue with the schedule. Although as has been mentioned there is no unbiased research and I'm still quite unsure of my decision.

My wee one is a week overdue for her 3month vxn because she has had a cold..

I understand the immunology behind vaccines as have been trained in this area, and the whole herd immunity thing is really important (a certain number of the population have to be vaccinated in order to protect the entire population against the disease)... I think that the information provided to us is very pro-vxn because the diseases in which we are vaccinating against are really nasty ones where if the herd immunity goes down could cause a problem with the kiddies in NZ...

Having said that - I was seriously worried about getting my bubbas first vxns because of the worry of side effects... I think I cried more than she did during them and I am dreading taking her in next week for her 3 month jabs..

Im not 'debating the issue' here.. I guess what I am trying to say is - you can even have a degree in immunology (which is what vaccination is basically) and still not be totally ok with it when it comes to doing your OWN child! Haha - crazy stuff..

In all reality I think I will probably just be a sheep and trot along to the next appointment where they jab my poor wee girl while I spend the rest of the day feeling terrible for holding her down for some nasty nurse to jab her leg

Good luck with the research Bowie - good on you for making sure you are comfortable with whats happening - and shame on the nurse - not cool..

cuppatea wrote: The thing with herd immunity is that any protection from vaccination wanes over time (and I say any protection as they don't actually stop you catching the disease anyway) so adults unless they have had the shots again or have caught the disease naturally at some point in their lives are not immune, when was the last time you got shots for childhood diseases? I expect it was when you were a child. So supposedly we need 95% or some in the US are now saying 100% to get herd immunity, well ok, most vaccines don't even claim to have that sort of efficacy anyway, pertussis for example is only 84% after all three shots are given (NZ immunisation handbook 2011) , plus those children who can't be immunised because of immune disorders, allergies etc coupled with the fact that most adults have no immunity and you see that herd immunity is just a fallacy.

Apparently the CDC has done some modelling in relation to measles based on waning immunity and those show that the population as a whole, not just children, will be more 'at risk' post 2050 than before the vaccine was ever invented.

I have to say that I am slightly worried that the vaccines I had as a child might not be 'protecting' me now, but still not enough to go out and get vaccines every 5-10 years from now until I die.

Emmecat wrote: Read up, ask questions, and follow your gut instinct. There are pros and cons to both decisions and you need to be at peace with your decision. We haven't vaccinated either of our babies, but our choice is an informed one and respected by both our GP and our Plunket nurse. I always try to keep up with current info as well as checking in with myself to make sure I still feel ok about our decision. Good luck, you've got some great reading/links there to start with!

Well said! We haven't vax'd our DD, I didn't even let them give her a Vit K shot, but this was after much research also. Although I don't bring the subject up unless asked, as it seems to inflame certain pro-vaxers from what I have read online, we are happy with our decision and will do so for our next one along. Don't be pressurised by outsiders this is purely your personal choice either way. Good luck and good on you for asking, and remember the more you are informed the better your will be able to stand up to any pressure