We find it a continual source of frustration, and on occasion, anger, to realize that in the United States of America, where, fortunately, disease-preventing vaccines are readily available, approximately 23% of eligible citizens have foolishly and irresponsibly, chosen not to get vaccinated. The seemingly, eternal, and unmerited controversy, unnecessarily surrounding the medical policy and process of vaccination is proximately, responsible for needless and rancorous debate with dire implications for citizen health. It is not, merely, a significant issue concerning the unnecessary contraction of disease on the part of the recalcitrant, but has broader implications, from a societal standpoint of the spread of infection, as well as its aspirational efforts towards “herd immunity.”
The early intensive study of “vaccination” (Edward Jenner, (1749-1823) in time, led, inarguably, to one of the truly greatest medical achievements in mankind’s history. The total eradication of smallpox, (1980), of diphtheria, polio, and the development of prophylactic vaccines for a plethora of infectious diseases, inarguably made the Planet, a far safer place. It is relevant and instructive to know that authoritative sources in the discipline of Early American History, universally, indicate that General George Washington’s prescient program of inoculation of the Continental Army against smallpox played a major role in its military victory over Britain.
Despite its empirically demonstrated merit, vaccination has, somehow, become a divisive subject, inviting considerable controversy and rancorous debate. Yet, notably, medical history has shown that in cases where the decision was made to discontinue the vaccination of one’s children, the same, uniformly, led to the emergence of the relevant pathology. An illustrative, but unhappy example, is the re-emergence of measles which, we understand, had been declared entirely, “eradicated” in the United States, in the year, 2002.
Despite the consistent, expert reassurances of safety by the World’s medical authorities, there are many MAGA-type, “alternate facts” populists and other species of humanoids who maintain and propagate the nonsensical, unsupported, meme, that vaccination causes autism. The measles, mumps rubella (MMR) shots mandatorily, required for universal entrance to school have never been shown to cause autism or presage any pathology, whatsoever. It is ironic, if not, diagnosable paranoia, to seriously maintain the ideation that a vastly researched and time-tested, simple, medical procedure, that empirically, prevents disease, is the alleged, initiator of such a serious perceptive and neural pathology. We would wonder at the extent of credibility afforded by such believers in an assertion that s’mors or pizza, are the basic, etiological causes of autism, chronic athlete’s foot, or perhaps, tuberculosis.
To our knowledge, there exist no religious proscriptions against vaccination, nevertheless, there are various people who claim to reject it for “religious reasons.” More irrational and dystopian, is the bizarre fact that, under the singular term of the Presidency of Donald Trump, vaccination became less a prophylactic medical procedure, than a politically identifying banner; those who were, prudently accepting, of vaccination were, in accordance with the MAGA-Trump, mindset, the “enemy,” i.e. the purported,” leftist-elitist” believers in vaccination, led by the diabolical, Dr. Anthony Fauci. It is, however, our definite and clear recollection, that Dr. Fauci, the former U.S. Chief Medical Officer, performed his designated, professional duties in a fiduciary, expert, and professional manner; guiding and keeping the Nation informed and up to speed, during the pandemic, and doubtlessly, saving the lives of a great many American citizens.
By notable, contrast, history will record the great mortal damage caused by the past President, Donald J. Trump, in ignorantly dismissing the value of the effective, COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging his ignorant sycophants to turn to a farcical, “snake oil” remedy, the latter, bizarrely, a “horse wormer.” Tens of thousands of hapless, Trump followers died tragic deaths, otherwise avoidable, by the acceptance and administration of the efficacious, COVID vaccine. It is our sincere view that parents who deny their children the prophylactic benefits of vaccination are, equally, in effect, guilty of the shameful commission of child abuse, every bit as much as allowing them to play “jacks” on a busy highway.
Governmental health officials have officially, advised the public to obtain additional COVID and seasonal Flu shots. Those who do not avail themselves of the salutary benefits of such prudent and responsible advice will be hapless, players, in a hazardous, personal, (and societally, impactful), game of Russian Roulette.
-p.
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