Had A Debate This Morning About The Whole Vaccine Thing

I mentioned to someone this morning about the article in the New York Times discussing the outbreak of measles in Brooklyn. She told me that she knows a number of people who do not vaccinate their children and she agrees with their choice not to do so. She said that some of these people have cancer in their families and it is ultimately a parent’s right not to vaccinate. I told her that I am unaware of any connection between cancer and vaccines, but I don’t know enough about that so I am not gonna there. As to a parent’s right, while it may be your right not to vaccinate your child, perhaps it shouldn’t be your right to go to the public park or to open play at Gymboree for example. It’s not okay that your “right” not to vaccinate puts other people’s infants at risk who are not old enough to be vaccinated. She wasn’t persuaded by that though nor are the parents who are not vaccinating because they are selfish and stupid.