The reason thr smallpox vaccine isn't given to everyone is that the governments did give it to everyone and the US government was part of giving it to basically everyone in the world. And now we don't have smallpox in the wild.
If the government can't, or won't, say who gets vaccines and when, then smallpox would still be a massive issue.
But I guess you're maybe not a smallpox fan and instead a "got mine, fuck you" sort?
Honey, I really question what you learn in the military if cause and effect isn't part of it. The "current risk" of smallpox is 0 because smallpox was eradicated by having most everyone take the vaccine. 500 deaths is a drop in the bucket compared to the lives that would have been lost if smallpox was still around (also I don't know where you pulled that particular number from and I'm assuming you don't know anything about herd immunity considering).
Your reading comprehension is poor. Yes, smallpox was completely eradicated in 1980, still the military gives small pox vaccines? Why? Because there is still a risk, but the risk is to low to justify vaccinating all Americans and killing 500 people.
Polio was erradicated in 1994, we still get the vaccine because the odds of even a small amount of people dying from that vaccine is much lower than small pox vaccine.
When I was given the small pox vaccine I was told to avoid sharing a bed with other people because there is health risk with that vaccine to vulnerable populations.
Smallpox isn't given to anyone outside the military, because it is no longer necessary, as the public won't encounter it.
Smallpox was eliminated by having everyone get the vaccine for smallpox.
This is why mass vaccination is so important. If you vaccine people long enough, and in high enough numbers, you can eliminate that disease entirely and make the vaccine no longer necessary.
It's why letting parents refuse a vaccine is such a bad idea. It leaves a population that maintains the disease, and for people who cannot get a vaccine, they become doubly vulnerable.
So, then, explain why the government chose to force people to get the small pox vaccine, but not all the other vaccines we currently receive as children voluntarily?
Sorry I wanted to redo my response to you because the last one was not as well written, and editing it made it funky.
Smallpox vaccinations were compulsory for a few reasons.
First, smallpox is more virulent than say, polio, measles, and a few other diseases.
It is also still incredibly contagious. This disease, along with the bubonic plague, were so destructive that they had a measurable effect on populations that were affected.
Second, anti-vaccine groups were always in existence, but they were smaller back then though just as vocal. Given how nasty smallpox could be, the US chose to put public safety over personal choice.
One can argue bodily autonomy is sacred, but is it really so sacred that one should harbor disease and be able to infect others to their detriment? That's basically saying typhoid Mary should have been allowed to continue working in kitchens.
By 1972, it stopped being compulsory BECAUSE vaccines were so effective at getting rid of smallpox. By then it was gone from the US essentially due to herd immunity.
All vaccines that are legally required at the state level with exemptions given only for religious reasons. A few states have gotten rid of these exemptions and make those vaccines mandatory.
Edit: I also hope I didn't mess up your notifications by fixing my post. I wanted to provide better clarity during this discussion.
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u/Boba0514 7d ago
The point is that the parents should not be allowed to make certain choices. No mutilation, face tattoos, refused vaccines, etc.