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People must always have a choice to vaccinate or not, forcing it upon them will do nobody any good because it will only increase the distrust of government. Th

People must always have a choice to vaccinate or not, forcing it upon them will do nobody any good because it will only increase the distrust of government. That said, if you don't vaccinate, you are a threat to the public and I do think you should be banned from public schools, public transportation, public gatherings and should have to explain to anyone you physically interact with that you are a risk to them and their family. We should be showing anti-vaxers the error of their ways using facts, debate, and the truth. Forcing it on them only increases their distrust and helps sway others to their side.

smeyer 12y ago
>forcing it upon them will do nobody any good I'm not saying it would be a net good or a net bad, but it would presumably save a number of lives. This might still be a net bad with the increased distrust and loss of choice and all that, but I don't think it's at all fair to say that "nobody" would benefit. For example, those with weakened immune systems who for some reason cannot be vaccinated would probably benefit greatly. Again, I'm not saying the answer is or isn't to force them, but it's not because nobody would benefit.
robert_tweed 12y ago
Who said anything about force? It's mainly a problem of education. What we're talking about is, for example, an emotive documentary about some sick kids who couldn't be vaccinated for genuine medical reasons, and should have been protected by the herd immunity that anti-vaccination is destroying. Maybe have them in the same ward as some sick, voluntarily unvaccinated kids for good measure, interspersed with various scientific explanations of how minor the risks of vaccination reactions are, and that there is no connection with autism especially. Science has to fight an uphill battle, because facts and statistics are cold, whereas a single story of "my kid got sick right after being vaccinated and what if that happened to your kid?" is emotive and provocative. A documentary telling the other side of the story in a way that most people can relate to it emotionally could have a huge impact. No need to make anything mandatory if people understand the balance of risks properly.
differentView 12y ago
>People must always have a choice to vaccinate or not, forcing it upon them will do nobody any good because it will only increase the distrust of government. >That said, if you don't vaccinate, you are a threat to the public and I do think you should be banned from public schools, public transportation, public gatherings and should have to explain to anyone you physically interact with that you are a risk to them and their family. Not following what you're proposing. You don't want people forced to be vaccinated, yet you want to forcibly confine them to their homes? What if they don't comply and get on a bus/subway/train/plane or go shop at a supermarket? Forcibly throw them in some special jail just for them?
- jarfil 12y ago
  If people who knowingly infect you with AIDS get thrown in jail, why should it be any different with people who knowingly decide to increase your chances of contracting any other disease? I say supervised interactions with society is a very sane compromise for people who pose a danger, but may still have something to offer. As opposed to outright killing them.
  - differentView 12y ago
    If you're willing to confine them to their homes or jail, why not just force them to be vaccinated?

smeyer 12y ago

>forcing it upon them will do nobody any good I'm not saying it would be a net good or a net bad, but it would presumably save a number of lives. This might still be a net bad with the increased distrust and loss of choice and all that, but I don't think it's at all fair to say that "nobody" would benefit. For example, those with weakened immune systems who for some reason cannot be vaccinated would probably benefit greatly. Again, I'm not saying the answer is or isn't to force them, but it's not because nobody would benefit.

robert_tweed 12y ago

Who said anything about force? It's mainly a problem of education. What we're talking about is, for example, an emotive documentary about some sick kids who couldn't be vaccinated for genuine medical reasons, and should have been protected by the herd immunity that anti-vaccination is destroying. Maybe have them in the same ward as some sick, voluntarily unvaccinated kids for good measure, interspersed with various scientific explanations of how minor the risks of vaccination reactions are, and that there is no connection with autism especially. Science has to fight an uphill battle, because facts and statistics are cold, whereas a single story of "my kid got sick right after being vaccinated and what if that happened to your kid?" is emotive and provocative. A documentary telling the other side of the story in a way that most people can relate to it emotionally could have a huge impact. No need to make anything mandatory if people understand the balance of risks properly.

differentView 12y ago

>People must always have a choice to vaccinate or not, forcing it upon them will do nobody any good because it will only increase the distrust of government. >That said, if you don't vaccinate, you are a threat to the public and I do think you should be banned from public schools, public transportation, public gatherings and should have to explain to anyone you physically interact with that you are a risk to them and their family. Not following what you're proposing. You don't want people forced to be vaccinated, yet you want to forcibly confine them to their homes? What if they don't comply and get on a bus/subway/train/plane or go shop at a supermarket? Forcibly throw them in some special jail just for them?

jarfil 12y ago
If people who knowingly infect you with AIDS get thrown in jail, why should it be any different with people who knowingly decide to increase your chances of contracting any other disease? I say supervised interactions with society is a very sane compromise for people who pose a danger, but may still have something to offer. As opposed to outright killing them.
- differentView 12y ago
  If you're willing to confine them to their homes or jail, why not just force them to be vaccinated?