The Tragedy of Unintended Consequences
After the strawberry plants started forming berries in my garden this spring, I bought some bird netting and carefully covered the plants. In past years, the birds had helped themselves to the berries and I was determined to protect this year’s crop for my own consumption. The netting was a pain to maneuver around, but […]
“Breakthrough Cases” of COVID-19 Emerging Among Fully Vaccinated Americans
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting a COVID-19 vaccine, stating that, “COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.”1 […]
Mumps Cases Jump 700 Percent in Northern Ireland
Story Highlights A 700 percent increase in incidence of mumps has been reported in Northern Ireland, reflecting a similar surge in cases in other developed nation. Most cases have occurred in fully vaccinated young adults, for whom the potential complications of mumps are more serious than they are in children. The increase in cases has […]
Vaccines are Kind of Like the Emperor’s New Clothes
Whether or not one supports the removal of religious exemptions to vaccination, the discussion about the issue should at least be accurate and honest. Sadly, agenda-driven hyperbole has hijacked the narrative in recent years, and oft-repeated mistruths have evolved to become widely-accepted dogma that may not be questioned. It is time to call out the […]
Is a Bill Requiring Your Children to Get Every CDC Recommended Vaccination Coming to Your State?
As vaccine-related bills are being introduced into state legislatures this month, a bill (HB1090) has been proposed in the Virginia legislature to require school children to receive every dose of all current and future vaccines added to the recommended childhood vaccine schedule by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) appointed by the U.S. Centers […]
“Little Women” Movie Spurs Interest in Scarlet Fever
Little Women, the 19th century coming of age movie directed by Greta Gerwig currently showing in theaters nationwide, has moviegoers searching for information about scarlet fever. Beth, the youngest of the four March sisters, dies of complications of the infection at the climax of the movie. Scarlet fever is a bacterial infection caused by the […]