Another claim by those who want vaccinations mandated is that families that don’t vaccinate are being irresponsible by relying on others to protect their children.
The obvious question is: if your child is vaccinated, what are you worried about?
So the first answer attempted is that we need to protect the immunocompromised, those kids who have cancer and who can’t get the vaccine (the number of immunocompromised children in any one school is probably between 0 and 2 so this seems to be an exaggerated concern).
But ultimately the answer given is that there is a failure rate for each vaccine; and we need to protect them. The failure rate varies by vaccine type. The flu typically has a 50% – 80% failure rate; sometime higher. The Mumps portion of the MMR is as high as 85% failure rate. Measles is claimed to have a 2-10% failure rate. And we need to protect those for whom the vaccine failed.
My question is, if this is a matter of Pikuach Nefesh, why don’t we test all children for antibodies, and kick out those for whom the vaccine did not work? And please don’t try to tell me that they did their Hishtadlus, after all, Lo Sa’amod Al Dam Re’acha! They are a danger to the other kids.
And if those children are OK to stay (up to 50% for the flu vaccine), what would be so terrible about the 10-20% that don’t want to vaccinate staying as well?
