my thoughts on the CDC on chickenpox
calling it varicella: sometimes I think they used words people never heard before to make is sound scarier. Like calling whooping cough "pertussis". when I was growing up, it was chicken pox.
"about 8 to 9 of every 10 people who are vaccinated are completely protected from chickenpox."
its "effective" rate 80-90%
Someone once explained it to me this way.
If you flip a coin and get heads 8 times out of 10, that is 80%. what is the chance you will get heads the next time you flip the coin? 50/50. This is the whole herd immunity thing. 90% of people may gain immunity, but it's still only a 50/50 chance for my child personally.
If you have 5 children, and 4 are boys, and 1 is a girl, what are the chances your next child will be a boy? 50/50. Statistically, moms with 4 boys and 1 girl may usually have a specific gender next, but for the individual in question, its still a 50/50.
"Prior to the licensing of the chickenpox vaccine in 1995, almost all persons in the United States had suffered from chickenpox by adulthood. Each year, the virus caused an estimated 4 million cases of chickenpox, 11,000 hospitalizations, and 100-150 deaths."
how many of those "hospitilizations" were ER check ins because parents didnt have insurance and wanted their child to see a dr? or didnt know it was chicken pox? or had children who lived in poverty, were malnourished, or who were immune compromised? when will the information be broken down this way? why is it not currently? same goes for the deaths.and what other health conditions at the time of death for those 100-150. Where do they come up with 100-150? when taking about small numbers like these there is a big jump from 100-150 (50% additional). Which was it? 100 or 150? perhaps it was 110, and that is between 100 and 150.
why are they making the chicken pox so scary? I guess everyone I grew up with had aprents who didnt care about us or were really awesome at hiding their fear because they acted as though it wasn't a big deal to have the chicken pox - not like it was deadly. by the way, anyone know what perfecnt 100 is of 4 million? 100 deaths out of 4 million effected.
And for the sake of what? that these peopls immunity will wane, it is unlikely they will get booseters (and if they do as we've seen that doesn't insure immunity either - what are the statistics that those who responded to the childhood vaccine will respond to the adult booster?) it just seems to me we are leaving our society at increased risk for shingles. It's worse for adults then for children.
just my thoughts
