The 2015 measles outbreak has sparked some political commentary, including the President of the United States, with their different views on vaccinations and mandatory vaccination.
Image/Donkey Hotey
The governor of New Jersey spoke out about the very controversial topic today while in England.
Chris Christie said that parents “need to have some measure of choice”, essentially opposite of the President.
Christie did say that he and his wife vaccinated their children; however, he called it an issue of balance and choice.
Christie said, according to a NY Times report, “It’s more important what you think as a parent than what you think as a public official. I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well. So that’s the balance that the government has to decide.”
He added, “Not every vaccine is created equal, and not every disease type is as great a public health threat as others.”
Many parent today choose to get a personal belief exemption to not have to vaccinate their children. When asked on Sunday’s Face the Nation if we need to reconsider those types of exemptions, CDC director Dr. Thomas Frieden said:
Well, the places around the country that really require that that personal belief be something that’s deeply held and longstanding have much higher vaccination rate.
But overall we have a 92 percent vaccination rate in this country and even among those parents whose kids have not been vaccinated, most of them don’t have that deeply held concern. They just may not recognize that measles is still with us, that it’s serious and that not getting your kid vaccinated is not only a risk for you own kid but puts other vulnerable kids in your community at risk.
I do not have a choice as to whether I crap in the street or put out a fire in my apartment.
Even if I (for some perverse reason) wanted to subject MYSELF to this
I do NOT have the Right to cause those AROUND ME to Suffer
THIS is a concept that selfish people seem unable to grasp.