Anti-Vaxxers Are One Of The Worst Health Threats To Our Planet, World Health Organization Says

Feb 06, 2019 by apost team

Each year, the World Health Organization publishes a list of global health threats. This year a new threat made its debut on the list: anti-vaxxers.

Anti-vaxxers are parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. The anti-vax community started as a small movement that believed the ingredients in vaccines cause autism. Despite definitive proof that vaccines do not cause autism, celebrities like Jenny McCarthy, Alicia Silverstone and President Donald Trump added fuel to the anti-vax fire by claiming vaccines are the reason for an increase in autism diagnoses.

The anti-vax movement used social media to spread misinformation about vaccines. As the movement grew, their message evolved. They now blame everything from sudden infant death syndrome and childhood cancers to ear infections and pink eye on vaccines. Anti-vaxxers counsel one another on how to falsify medical forms so their children can attend school.

They even harass parents who have recently lost a child, blaming the bereaved parents for vaccinating their children.

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What started as a silly conspiracy theory has turned into a full-blown epidemic. There are some parents who have a legitimate reason, such as a compromised immune system, not to vaccinate their children. These vulnerable children rely on herd immunity to protect them from contagious diseases like measles.

The anti-vaccine movement has lowered the effectiveness of herd immunity in developed countries all over the world.

Measles was eradicated in the United States in the year 2000. So, why is there currently a measles outbreak in the State of Washington? You can thank the anti-vaxxers for that. Children who are too young to be vaccinated can die from measles.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to educate an anti-vaxxer on the importance of vaccinating our children. They believe two hours spent reading about vaccines on biased internet websites is equivalent to the years that medical professionals spend studying epidemiology and immunology.

According to WHO, vaccines save millions of lives every year and offer the most cost-effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Do you think vaccinations should be mandatory? Should anti-vaxxers be held responsible for disease outbreaks? Tell us how you feel in the comments and help us spread the word about the importance of vaccinations by showing this article to your friends and family!

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!