# Massive measles outbreak - thank you, Andrew Fucking Wakefield **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 19, 2013, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119 "2013-04-19T10:56:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 56
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1101 "2015-04-14T15:06:39Z")
And now a lighthearted musical interlude… Vaccinate Your Kids by Mitch Benn ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1102 "2015-04-17T20:27:03Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > So what does it take to change an anti-vaxxer’s mind? [Seven of her kids getting Whooping Cough.](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/04/anti-vaxx-mom-abandons-movement-after-all-seven-her-of-her-kids-get-whooping-cough/) Actually, [it was a measles outbreak](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/04/14/anti-vax-mom-changes-her-tune-when-all-7-of-her-children-come-down-with-whooping-cough/?tid=sm_tw). The whooping cough came along before they could get the kids’ shots up-to-date. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1103 "2015-04-19T09:20:10Z")
And in breaking news, the Australian Government is now going to refuse certain payments (notably a family tax benefit and child care rebate) to all who defer from immunizing their kids, unless exempt for MEDICAL REASONS ALONE. So, no more exemption upon religious grounds (previously, the only recognised religion that could claim exemption was the Christian Scientists, with only 1000 members). But now, even THEY have to submit their kids to a jab if they want to claim the government payments. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1104 "2015-04-23T15:18:34Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > And in breaking news, the Australian Government is now going to refuse certain payments (notably a family tax benefit and child care rebate) to all who defer from immunizing their kids, unless exempt for MEDICAL REASONS ALONE. > > So, no more exemption upon religious grounds (previously, the only recognised religion that could claim exemption was the Christian Scientists, with only 1000 members). But now, even THEY have to submit their kids to a jab if they want to claim the government payments. > > 🙂 Reaction to the cutting of benefits? At least some people think its rape. The ad was pulled, but still. > **[Anti-vax group pulls Facebook image comparing vaccination to rape](https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/anti-vax-group-pulls-facebook-image-comparing-vaccination-to-rape/l1c7w0802)** > > An Australian anti-vaccination group has pulled an image likening immunisation to rape after widespread outrage on social media, saying the image 'should not have been posted'. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1105 "2015-04-23T16:17:36Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > Reaction to the cutting of benefits? At least some people think its rape. The ad was pulled, but still. > > [Anti-vax group pulls Facebook image comparing vaccination to rape | SBS News](http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/04/23/anti-vax-group-pulls-facebook-image-comparing-vaccination-rape) If it’s pay for, um, penetration, isn’t that prostitution–not rape? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2015, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1106 "2015-04-25T12:11:06Z")
Well, Bill Maher and Kennedy Jr. were gushing over the new anti-vaxxer film ‘Trace amounts’ which again tries to claim that there is mercury in vaccines. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1107 "2015-04-26T01:30:42Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > Well, Bill Maher and Kennedy Jr. were gushing over the new anti-vaxxer film ‘Trace amounts’ which again tries to claim that there is mercury in vaccines. > > _sigh_ [Here’s the interview.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24IZ4uwiflk) I think his tin foil hat is showing. I’m actually surprised at how much Bill Maher, himself sympathetic promoter of pseudoscience in medicine, confronts him about the case against him. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1108 "2015-04-26T02:48:49Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Actually, [it was a measles outbreak](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/04/14/anti-vax-mom-changes-her-tune-when-all-7-of-her-children-come-down-with-whooping-cough/?tid=sm_tw). The whooping cough came along before they could get the kids’ shots up-to-date. Here’s what she said about her decision not to vaccinate: > [@](#): > > “We stopped because we were scared and didn’t know who to trust,” she wrote. “Was the medical community just paid off puppets of a Big Pharma-Government-Media conspiracy? Were these vaccines even necessary in this day and age? Were we unwittingly doing greater harm than help to our beloved children? So much smoke must mean a fire, so we defaulted to the ‘do nothing and hope nothing bad happens’ position.” What a moron. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119/1109 "2015-04-26T03:41:06Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Here’s what she said about her decision not to vaccinate: > > What a moron. I give her points for making the change of mind. Most anti-vaxxers whose kids get the preventable disease find amazing ways to rationalize what happened. Either in the ‘well now they have a natural immunity’ approach or in the ‘This was obviously given to them by the kids that were vaccinated.’ technique. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/massive-measles-outbreak-thank-you-andrew-fucking-wakefield/656119.md?page=55)