<
https://www.techdirt.com/2025/11/26/not-just-measles-anti-vaxxers-have-produced-3-infant-deaths-from-pertussis/>
"In all of our conversations surrounding RFK Jr.’s appointment to lead HHS and
the legitimization of his anti-vaxxer beliefs as a result, we have
understandably been hyper-focused on measles. The reason for that is mostly
that this is as stark an example of just how stupid and horrible
anti-vaccination misinformation is combined with the horror that is measles
infections. This disease was essentially
gone as of the year 2,000, but it
has come roaring back due to unvaccinated populations being slammed by major
outbreaks this year. Three people have died and thousands have been needlessly
infected with measles all because Kennedy, and people like him, want to play
pretend with medicine and science.
But it isn’t just measles. Pertussis, commonly referred to as whooping cough,
has also been on the increase over the past few years. While the data on who is
getting infected is much more varied with pertussis, due primarily to the
vaccine’s waning protections for it over time compared with measles vaccines,
it’s still the case that the unvaccinated account for a heavy number of the
infected and the deaths that have resulted from it. Kentucky appears to be
getting hit particularly hard by pertussis, with the state tallying three
infant deaths from the disease so far this year.
Kentucky’s three infant deaths from whooping cough over the past 12 months
are the state’s first reported since 2018. None of the infants or their
mothers had been vaccinated against the respiratory disease, the Kentucky
Department of Public Health confirmed.
Kentucky is in the midst of its largest pertussis spike since 2012, says a
Monday state news release that says the disease has increased nationwide as
vaccination rates decline.
As of Nov. 19, there have been 566 cases of whooping cough identified in
Kentucky, with health officials anticipating more cases as the year ends.
Babies younger than 1 year old are at the greatest risk for whooping cough.
Local healthcare providers are advocating for the public to get themselves and
their children vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease, but Kentucky
has a fairly terrible adoption of the pertussis vaccine. School-aged children
in the state currently have a vaccination rate of roughly 85%. That may sound
like a big number, but you’re typically looking at a target of 95% vaccination
rate to achieve herd immunity. It’s herd immunity that best protects those most
vulnerable, such as very young children and those who cannot get vaccinated for
unrelated medical reasons.
And that is precisely who is dying in Kentucky from pertussis. Infants.
Infants are dying, all so that Kennedy and the vaccine-deniers out there can
sit on their stupid soap boxes and spew stupid."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
