There’s one big flaw in the new vaccination policy, writes Emily Jade.
The day Tony Abbott announced the No Jab, No Pay policy to tackle the rising rate of anti-vaxxers in this country, I had caught and was carrying a virus, but I didn’t know it at the time.
I’d flown to and from Sydney and had returned to work with a croaky voice.
“Are you sick?” was the concerned question I was asked by every work mate who kindly came to check in on me. “No,” I would reply, “just a big weekend catching up on me, that’s all. I’ll be fine.”
With failing vocal cords I pushed through my radio show and croakily voiced my opinion on the government’s new policy. The policy, which will kick in on January 1 2016, will see all unvaccinated families lose up to $15,000 a year in benefits.
That’s around 39,000 families and could equate to a $250 million saving. It’s not a budget measure, we were assured, but a health measure; albeit one that could also help the health of the ailing budget.
Maybe they have researched it, maybe they are taking a “jab” in the dark out of desperation, but both the government and the opposition seem to think that it will work, because it is one of the first policies they have both agreed on. Bravo for them. I applaud non-partisan decisions about our health and wellbeing.
However, while I agree that something, anything must be done, I simply don’t think taking money off people will force them to change their minds.
It’s as simple as this. As a parent, if you have made a decision, right or wrong, about what you think is healthy and safe for your child, would giving you money to do the opposite change your mind?
For me, that’s a big fat no.
I was put on this earth to protect and raise my child as healthily as I can. For me, that means vaccinating. But for others, it doesn’t, and taking money to change their mind would be hypocritical.
For example, if the government told me to feed Millie lollies for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they would give me $15,000 for the privilege, would I do it? Hell to the NO.
I know it would lead to teeth decay, malnutrition and plain old pain-in-the-butt behavior, so no thanks to your money.
If they told me to not put her in a seatbelt while driving and they’d give me $15,000, once again, no way. History has successfully proven seat belts work in most accidents, not to mention stop kids from climbing around the car distracting the driver, which is me, so I’m saving both our lives every day, So Buckle Up, Kiddo.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m assuming that anti-vaxxers have made the decision not to vaccinate their kids to save them from some perceived danger that they truly believe is real. To change their mind because of $15,000 would only expose the duplicitous ones.
As the week progressed, my voice gave way to a cough, then headaches, and then the sorest throat I’ve ever had in my life. After a trip to the doctor and the diagnosis of viral pharyngitis, (not the flu, so a vaccination would not have worked) I realised the amount of people I had come in contact with, including my family.
I went a whole week passing it off as fatigue and possibly infecting every single one. I felt terrible, but imagine if it had been whooping cough?
I don’t have to, because I’m vaccinated. But 39,000 families aren’t. The fact is money probably won’t make them change their mind.
Interesting! Had you had a flu vaccination? As to the safety of other vaccinations… I receive newsletters from 3 qualified American doctors who all have serious concerns about the safety of vaccinations. Is our government going to guaranteed that no harm will come to vaccinated children? In the USA they apparently have a fund set up by the pharmaceutical companies to compensate vaccine injured children. Why is this necessary if vaccines are safe for all children?
Those that don’t vaccinate DO CARE. We do our home work. There are side effects to vaccinations. The Government has been given the opportunity to take away peoples right to choose. Not good considering vaccinations are ‘Man Made’. Good drinking water, good healthy living, good life style contribute to the down fall of ‘Whooping Cough’ etc. My Grandmothers lived to be 85 & 89yrs, not vaccinated.
ALL children should be vaccinated.
I was all for vaccinating until I worked with a lady years ago who had two beautiful twin daughters who had side effects from a vaccination. My friend informed her doctor of the effects when they went back for their next jab. He said they’d be fine. They ended up in a coma. When I was working with her, the girls were in their early twenties, and had the brains of five year olds. Eventually, the matter was settled out of court. My friend was very concerned that the out of court settlement would not cover the cost of caring for her girls for the rest of their lives after her and her husband became too old to care for them. I still continued to vaccinate my kids, until my youngest had a reaction to a vaccine. He had a temperature for days afterwards of 42 degrees. We were concerned enough to take him to the hospital a few times. The doctors were all very concerned until they learned that it was a reaction to a vaccination, upon which we were almost pushed out the door. They didn’t want to acknowledge there was a reaction to vaccinations. I have since discovered another child who was left with the brain of a ten year old due to vaccination. Needless to say, my children have never been vaccinated since. We are a low income family, but the government can keep their money – my kids won’t be vaccinated. The government will need the money to compensate families who have a severe reaction. My kids are the healthiest around – they hardly ever need to see a doctor. At the very least, there should be medical support available to parents of children who react to vaccinations. I believe they don’t want to know because they want to fudge the figures of reactions. I’m so glad I met my friend so that I could make a fully informed decision about whether to vaccinate or not. If my kids catch a disease, I would feel it was an act of God. I believe I could live with that. But if one of my kids was left brain damaged due to something I had decided to have done to them, I would find it very difficult to live with my conscience.
I believe that all children should be vaccinated. Both of my boys were and they still ended up with whooping cough because some person made a so called informed decision not to have their child vaccinated. I was just greatful that they had been vaccinated as the outcome could have been a lot worse. They have both grown up to be healthy strong boys. I am all for vaccination.
Michelle Clark if your children were vaccinated against whooping cough they should have been protected from developing whooping cough – surely this means the vaccine is not working!
To keep our more vulnerable bubs safe, I think it should be compulsory. I was gob smacked when a young girl was bragging that she’s never been immunised and didn’t believe in it… Her chosen profession – daycare teacher
If you look at it the wording of no jab no pay,it sounds like blackmail. But having said that no politics or religion should come first to the health of any child and common sense should prevail,( hey common sense I say whats that) everybody has forgotten that safety comes first, PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
And how will they make the ones who are not on a payment do it ? ones on payments will lose money and the others get away with it ?… either everyone is made to do it or dont allow the kids in schools and kindy’s to make it work … stupid some will be penalized and others wont be affected by this
Education will do more than extortion will.
Really cannot believe your comments above. Cannot believe that as a parent you would give any oxygen to the anitvax. All medical science points to vaccinations being a good idea and I will bet anything you like that our rates go way up as a result of this most recent change. There are so many people that have made this decision because they want to be part of fad or fashion and have done no research at all. They should not allow the kids that have not been vaccinated to go to school and make the parents home school them if they are really serious about their convictions.
Emily you have just gone way down in my estimations of you. Really cannot believe you have made these comments.
Claire – Vaccinating reduces the severity of the disease against which we are vaccinating!! It does not completely eliminate the chances of contracting the disease. And with more and more people choosing not to vaccinate their children, whooping cough and other preventable diseases will be seen more and more often. Vaccinated kids should have less severe reactions however non vaccination increases the risk of these preventable diseases spreading to the kids who are too young to be vaccinated or the kids who for genuine medical reasons are unable to be vaccinated.
Saying that you wouldn’t give your child lollies for breakfast lunch and dinner or have them in the car without a seat belt are obviously good choices – because there is has been extensive research and evidence to say that it is not the best idea. There is no evidence so far to suggest that vaccinations cause major side effects. The government isn’t taking away money. They are simply saying sorry, if you want to have your un-vaccinated kids around other vulnerable children you will not receive fee help. Maybe this will wake the anti vaxers sit up and listen!
So is this woman crazy? Misinformed? Liar? Nut bag? To those that say they have done their research, I ask have you really???? This article is aimed at California introducing mandatory vaccination. Another USA fad that I see us Aussies following. http://thinkingmomsrevolution.com/an-open-letter-to-legislators-currently-considering-vaccine-legislation-from-tetyana-obukhanych-phd-in-immunology/
Vaccines don’t protect children 100%, but they do g really reduce the chance of infection. A reduced chance of infection means less “wild” viruses are spread about. Not reducing increases the chance of wild vaccines proliferating and causes more disease. It is disingenuous to claim that “my child is not vaccinated and they have never been sick”. That’ because our herd immunity, for the very largest part, has seen to it that wild vaccines aren’t common. You have vaccines to thank for your child not getting sick because of the blanket protection they provide communities. Not vaccinating is socially irresponsible. Sure, there are some children who have adverse reactions. 85-90% of these are mild, such as headaches and general malaise. A VERY small percentage are fatal or catastrophic. It is estimated about 1 in 1 – 5 million children will have a catastrophic reaction. In the USA there are around 4000 outbreaks in children who are vaccinated versus a prevented estimate of 39000 cases if these same children were not vaccinated. Plus, not vaccinating your children places the immunocompromised and those too young to be vaccinated at a serious risk of infection. If you choose not to be socially responsible, then I don’t think you should be receiving social welfare payments. Simple.
my estimation of Emily Jade has just plummeted . Just think of all the men women and children in third world countries who would be eternally grateful for a vaccination program which by he way has been medically and scientifically proven to be successful … As someone mentioned you just have to go back in history to see the records number of deaths of children who died of now preventable illnesses.
Big Pharma and the Gov both concede there is collateral damage with vaccinations, the problem is their conceded rate of collateral damage that they claim to be acceptable is ridiculously under measured and un-researched and or unrevealed. The conceded collateral damage is only where the reaction is almost immediate and severe, but common sense tells you that the reactions would cover a large spectrum from slight to severe. So all reactions other than the severe ones that could be proved to be caused by a vaccination are not considered to be reactions at all. Vaccinations effect the immune system, i ask you since the 1960’s when vaccines first started, what sort of reported increase have you seen in Autoimmune disorders? allergies etc. Theres more but ill leave you with this. Most of your immunised disorders like measles and mumps were well in decline before immunisation with better diet and living conditions, so don’t be eluded into thinking immunisation was the cause of it, I’m not saying it didn’t help but what is your trade off??? As far as i am concerned the trade off is worth al lot more to big Pharma than to you or I, to the tune of $30+Billion in immunisation alone, not to mention all the treatments of all the un-official side effects.
and of course when I say vaccines above I usually means viruses
We mustn’t confuse corration with causation. Some people get sick around the time they are vaccinated. Yes. But the vaccination ages are also often those where other disorders surface leading to a inflated perception about may be vaccine caused rather than age related. The reality is that vaccines prevent far more than they cause
I work as a nurse in a GP clinic and the day after the announcement was made I received the first call from a parent who advised her child was overdue for her vaccinations and could she book her in. It will not get everyone to vaccinate but there will certainly be some that it will encourage to vaccinate because they believe they are doing the right thing but the money side of things will certainly motivated some parents to bring their children in for immunisations.
I had my 3 sons vaccinated 2 caught German Measles 1 nearly died with Whooping Cough.
Vaccines have Aliminum, Mercury and Fordehyde an Embarming Fluid in them . My Granddaughters are vaccinated by Homopathic treatment . One was with 2 cousins who both had Whooping Cough and she did not catch it >
Wow. You say you didn’t need to consider that you may have had whooping cough because you’re vaccinated??? How naive. The whooping cough vaccine has been proven to be one of the least effective and MANY confirmed cases are in vaccinated people. You are part of the reason the disease is being spread. If you’re sick, stay home until you’re sure it isn’t serious. And don’t assume you can’t have it because you have been vaccinated.
I applaud you Emily Jade for trying to understand the thinking behind why some parents do not vaccinate. The most primal instinct of any parent is to protect their child at all costs. It is up to the parent to choose what they deem are the best ways in which to achieve this. If a parent feels that injecting their child with toxic substances that aren’t 100% safe and do have side-effects (that includes death) is not the best method of protection, then that is their choice and they are actually very courageous as most, if not all experience intolerance, nastiness and bullying from family, friends and especially the medical profession – (which is extremely unprofessional). You are right, it will not work with these parents as their children are far more precious than gold. In actual fact, Tony Abbott and his government are contravening our Anit-Bullying Laws and is moving this country closer to a Police State by stripping parents of their parenting and human rights. There are another 271 new vaccines in the pipeline that are due to be introduced to the schedule. The US Inspector-General report states that the 64% of the CDC Committee members that vote on the inclusion of vaccines on the schedule HAVE a conflict of interest but that it is probably 97% as many do not fill in their disclosure forms. Dr Paul Offit sold his vaccine in 1999 for $182 Million six years after he himself voted for it to be included in the schedule. It is hard to believe that these people have human health as their agenda and not wealth creation. Vaccines are NOT a one-size-fits all medical procedure and to require 100% uptake of the whole planet to be effective is a bad product. The vaccine manufacturers would do better to develop vaccines that do the job solely on an individual basis, but they won’t as that would mean giving people a choice and would ultimately generate less profits.
Vaccine inserts state that damage can be caused. Hence the USA compensation scheme. One side reaction is death. Autism though? Science is not able to explain that currently, but say that vaccines are not the cause. Perhaps it’s time for parents to delay decision until science can prove that vaccines do not cause autism. We don’t have many children each.
Leah, side effects listed on vaccine inserts include “death”.
Did many Bmag readers attend the rally in Brisbane? 1,000 people did, but found only social-media coverage it.
BMag, are you covering the real stories?
http://nocompulsoryvaccination.com/2015/06/22/more-than-1000-people-march-for-freedom-of-choice-in-brisbane/
The herd mentality is very easily persuaded by the various and privately owned media outlets and pharmaceutical companies some are intertwined together – and the masses of people choose to believe that elected governments would always have their best interests at heart understandably because people are busy, too busy in fact to genuinely and properly investigate ALL the sides and unbiased studies of the medical story about vaccinations which concern their vulnerable children who have no choice in the matter. Because it is like Russian Roulette the majority are fine but some children it hits like a bullet which for some parents are not willing to take that risk or play the game but in forcing these strategies suddenly for some unknown reason the governments are showing a ruthless streak by depriving people of their natural liberties and choices.
Every one knows the Vaccine industry is a pool of thugs and criminals that are all going in and out of a revolving door. They care nothing to the health and safety of humans. The people that believe in their Governments are only going to be killed off by them. All people have to do is look back at history to see what happened with the Nazis and how they used Vaccines and other chemicals to take over. $15,000 thousand dollars is nothing ! My wife and I are super happy not to receive it as we don’t care any thing of the Government handouts. They only hand payments out to control the masses and we are not being apart of this one world order control. No way!
They say your kids can’t go to school, that is a blessing for me because the school system has been designed to brain wash your kids and to dumb them down into stupid cattle.
People need to wake up and realise they are all being taken to the slaughter house and are all going to die by the very hand that feeds them and promises to look after them.