I have been complaining about those folks who are refusing to be vaccinated. (Today, I will add in those who refuse to get their kids inoculated.  As far as I am concerned, this is child abuse- and should make it possible to separate the parent from the child.)

We already know about the Orthodox Jews in upstate New York who have refused polio vaccines.  And, therefore, had some folks develop polio, plus put a bunch of folks in New York City and its suburbs (where they seem to travel) at risk.

And, a few years ago, we had a bunch of folks fail to inoculate their kids, which led to a mini-epidemic of measles cases all over California.  Let is not forget that it was 23 years ago that the US was proud to announce that it had effectively removed measles as a childhood disease.  Thanks to effective vaccination programs.  (We need 95% of the folks to be vaccinated; that’s herd immunity for this disease.  Today, the US vaccination rate for measles is below that, standing at 91%.)

This mini-epidemic is exactly what is happening now in Columbus, OH.  The 80+ kids who have succumbed to measles should have been inoculated but weren’t.  Which means we now have a bunch of folks at risk in Columbus and its environs for no good reason.

It turns out that about 1/3 of the parents who have kids believe they have the right to refuse the mandate of the schools and the state to inoculate their kids.  For measles, mumps, and rubella (that’s the MMR vaccine), among other maladies.  Unfortunately, these folks are primarily GOP stalwarts – and if only they were affected, I would say they get the outcomes they deserve.  But, these anti-science dweebs put everyone else at risk, when their kids get infected.

It’s also why six kids in Kentucky succumbed to flu this year (for the first time since 2020), 70 kids in South Carolina who manifested chicken pox, and we can add Minnesota kids to the list, as well.

Along those lines, the data indicate that the booster shots for COVID-19 are extremely useful in keeping folks from developing the disease. And, yet less than 15% of us have gotten the bivalent booster shot.  Way down from the almost 80% that have received the first two doses.

Given that places like New York, Los Angeles, among others have their emergency rooms overwhelmed by folks with the Flu, RSV, and COVID-19 (which is being termed the “tridemic“), you’d think getting the vaccine quickly would be a very smart idea.

Please get the shots!  And, get your kids vaccinated!