Vaccine-Refusing Parents Falsely Blamed for Whooping Cough Epidemic

by Heather Callaghan

Reporters are having a field day with headlines, outright blaming parents who sign vaccine exemptions for the spread of pertussis, also known as whooping cough. It’s not even posed as a question anymore:

• Anti-vaccine parents caused California’s lethal whooping cough epidemic
• What caused a whooping cough epidemic? Scientists blame parents
• Whooping Cough Outbreaks Tied to Parents Shunning Vaccines
• Vaccine Refusals Fueled California’s Whooping Cough Epidemic

Our data suggest clustering of NMEs [non-medical exemptions] may have been 1 of several factors in the 2010 California pertussis resurgence.

The researchers are taking data from geographical clusters of outbreaks in California neighborhoods where more people filed personal belief exemptions. Basically, people in those areas with more exemptions were 2.5 times more likely to live in areas with whooping cough outbreaks. They did not follow up on those exemptions to see if the parents later had themselves or their children vaccinated, and they did not see if the people who contracted it were actually vaccinated individuals. They simply used geographic clusters and drew a conclusion based on 39 clusters of high vaccine exemptions and 2 clusters of pertussis in 2010. The media took it further and wider in scope saying the unvaccinated are definitely a major factor – which differs significantly from a headline of outright blame. What a stretch!

The other factors in the study, briefly mentioned towards the end of some of the articles, were; “the cyclical nature of pertussis, improved diagnosis, and waning immunity.” The major factor, brushed under the rug involves vaccination itself and newer vaccines as you will see.

Some of the reports even claimed that it was so crucial to get vaccinated because little babies can’t get the vaccines and are especially vulnerable. Actually, they do get the DTaP – it is recommended they get 5 doses by the age of six starting at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months….

California saw one of its worst epidemics in 2010 with 9 deaths and over 9,000 sickened – one of the worst in 60 years. What no one wants to emphasize is that whooping cough was on a steady decline in multiple countries, continuing to drop almost out of existence until the vaccine was in heavy use. Pertussis was almost wiped completely off the U.S. map in the ’70s. Vaccines did not save us from disease.

Graph

Then, the ’90s brought new acellular vaccines, because the older more toxic whole cell ones left people brain damaged and got vaccine makers sued before they scurried out of the market. Those faulty vaccines are creating great debate as cases of whooping cough are going up. So it’s readily admitted by scientists that the new vaccines are creating rebound pertussis.

This study really tried to project blame on people who don’t vaccinate by magically making it appear that way with unfounded comparisons. Yet, more often than not, pertussis happens to those who are fully vaccinated. This graph is just one example of pertussis rates climbing with vaccination rates:

Source: CDC

If statistics are what people want, then here are some alarming ones about the DTaP vaccine from Dr. James Howenstine (2003):

In 1975 Germany stopped requiring pertussis (whooping cough) vaccination. Today less than 10 % of German children are vaccinated against pertussis. The number of cases of pertussis has steadily decreased[3] even though far fewer children are receiving pertussis vaccine. 

[…] 

In 1986 there were 1300 cases of pertussis in Kansas and 90 % of these cases occurred in children who had been adequately vaccinated. Similar vaccine failures have been reported from Nova Scotia where pertussis continues to be occurring despite universal vaccination. Pertussis remains endemic[4] in the Netherlands where for more than 20 years 96 % of children have received 3 pertussis shots by age 12 months. (source)

While pertussis is certainly a concern and on the rise, each year, the push for vaccination is bigger using low-blow emotional tactics. Yet, the number of deaths from last year (18) is less than half of those reported in 2005 (39). So how can it be that the 2% of the California population who were only recorded as filing exemptions in 2010 be responsible for an epidemic that has been on the rise for the last 10-15 years after a new vaccine was introduced?

People who are frightened and shamed by media and medical sleight of hand would do well and empower themselves by taking a few extra minutes to look at the bigger picture and numbers from years back – before they rush out to get their jabs. To everyone else, be strong.

Also See:
Whooping Cough Rapid Rise After 20-Year Use of Poor Quality Vaccines
Evidence Contradicts Whooping Cough Pro-Vaccine Propaganda

Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work at NaturalBlaze.com and ActivistPost.com. Like at Facebook.


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