The Earth is flat; the Holocaust was a hoax, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is Ukraine’s fault, and vaccinations kill.
Those are things you can find arguments for on the Internet, but that doesn’t mean they’re correct.
What we’re focusing on at this moment are vaccinations; specifically vaccinations against the measles.
There was potential exposure to the serious illness recently in the emergency department at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, according to CK Public Health.
Two potential windows of exposure occurred. The first took place Jan. 26 from 9 p.m. to Jan. 27 at 2:30 a.m. The second occurred Jan. 29 from 10 p.m. to Jan. 30 at 5:30 a.m.
It’s been more than a decade since a case of the measles has been reported in Chatham-Kent? Why?
Vaccinations.
They work.
Imagine that.
However, CK Public Health data indicates that 95 per cent of people aged 17 and up have been immunized against measles.
That means one in 20 of us is not.
And they walk among us.
Immunizations are not just about the individual. They are about everyone they could potentially come in contact with.
Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, Chatham-Kent’s acting medical officer of health, said it best when discussing immunization.
“The benefits are so much greater than the risk,” the doctor said. “When you are vaccinated, you’re not only helping yourself, you’re helping someone across town. Some diseases can’t be prevented, but measles is not one of them.”
Sure, some folks will argue about their personal rights, and say it’s their choice.
Great, but if, heaven forbid, someone with that mindset contracts the measles and ultimately spreads it to an infant that is exposed in a store, for example, the infant could be in for the fight of his or her life before their parents have been able to get them inoculated.
On the topic of immunizations, there were more than 1,700 students in Chatham-Kent schools that, as of mid-January, did not have their list of immunizations up to date.
Public Health follows the provincial Immunization of School Pupils Act and keeps track of such things.
What is not tracked is the immunization records of school staff, who work closely with students and thus could expose the kids to illnesses if they aren’t up to date themselves.
We can do better, people.
