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vaccinationattitudesaustral-blog · 7 years

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Australia's 'No Jab, No Pay' policy requires scrutiny

Vaccine Hesitant: After viewing the above video, I have concerns over the policy and the unintended consequences it might have. For one, the policy only targets those who receive welfare and not wealthier families, who are actually far more likely to reject vaccinations according to Julia Senier, assistant professor in sociology and anthropology and health sciences at Northeastern University in the U.S. (I can link you if you'd like to see her article)

Pro-Vaccinator: It is a great initiative, and I am all for the policy. Vaccination is a public health issue and everyone should be vaccinated as a child unless there are legitimate medical reasons not to be. You anti-vaxxers need to stop being so selfish and take off your tin foil hats.

VH: Hi, PV. I don't actually have children yet, but I am pregnant with my first so I have been trying to do as much research as I can regarding vaccinations. I don't think the world is flat though, so I'm not sure if I deserve the 'foil hat' label. I understand your concerns, and I always thought I would vaccinate my children but the more I talk to people and the more de-traditionalised society becomes, I think anti-vaccination arguments are actually becoming more rational, in a sense.

PV: I'm not sure what you mean about it being more rational, could you explain that a little more? I have three kids and all of them have been vaccinated, and all of them are fine. I'd rather them alive and with autism than dead because of a vaccine-preventable disease.

VH: I, of course, would rather my child alive as well, but obviously at their happiest and healthiest is the goal and autism isn't always the only worry. In terms of rationality, I just think our society has been moving towards a different narrative in terms of public health. Health is now promoted by focusing on lifestyle and individual actions and we are taking more personal responsibilities. I cannot talk for everyone, but I definitely feel like visits to my GP now involve shared decision-making, when it didn't before. It is becoming more and more common to actively contribute in your own care, and I think that can be empowering.

PV: Will it also be empowering when your unvaccinated child gives a baby whooping cough? Vaccination is for the greater good, and is absolutely necessary to keep babies and the immunocompromised safe. There is a reason governments focus on vaccination programs, and it is to keep us all safe. Have you ever had small pox? No. You can thank science for that.

VH: Well to be honest that notion of 'social obligation' certainly does worry me, and I think it worries a lot of others as well. A huge number of Australian's are vaccine hesitant, they just don't question it and it's probably because they are afraid it will backfire. Obviously I haven't had small pox, but I have had the chicken pox and the flu and I survived. Can you tell me it is absolutely necessary to make children have these vaccines too?

PV: A huge number of Australian's vaccinate anyway because not doing so is neglectful and should be classed as child abuse. Science has proven vaccinations are safe and effective, and they have eradicated or drastically reduced a number of diseases, how do people conveniently forget that fact?

VH: I don't think labelling parents as neglectful is useful in this context. People who are vaccine hesitant love their children just as much as you do, and genuinely believe they are doing what is best for their child. Why do you get to say what I should and shouldn't do for MY child? Doctors might be able to say 'most vaccines are safe for most children' but are they safe for MY child? It cannot be guaranteed.

PV: So you're happy to be a free rider who gets the benefits of herd immunity without taking the risk?

VH: I think the fact that you are acknowledging a risk is important in itself... If there is a risk, there should definitely be a choice. I agree vaccines have been an important health initiative all around the world, but I also think we need to consider just how much other advances in our society might have had an impact. I would think our improving hygiene practices have made some kind of difference?

PV: That probably has made a difference, but I don't think that could have ever achieved the complete eradication of a disease. Why are there so many people that are so distrusting of science these days?

VH: Because science is not finite like everyone thinks it is, it is ever-evolving. I also think it goes deeper than just science or distrust in doctors. I think that distrust in our own government plays a huge part, which is why the 'No Jab, No Pay' and the 'No Jab, No Play' policies are so concerning. They further segregate the working class families who are on welfare, and people are not seeing the bigger picture here. Our government has made a habit out of discriminating against minority groups, hence the current plebiscite on gay marriage, the proposal to drug test before paying Centrelink benefits, the slashing of penalty rates or the never-ending issues with our indigenous population.

PV: Now you are just slinging your leftist views on things that have nothing to do with vaccination.

VH: Not at all, I'm sorry if you feel like I got side-tracked but I think criticising the vaccination policy is very important. If people receive less welfare, then isn't that going to be to the detriment of their children? And if they are not allowed in to schools, it's just going to cut off early learning and won't that have other long term societal consequences? Like I said, there is a bigger picture. If the government are looking to make budget cuts, maybe more commitment to nutrition and other lifestyle improvements should be looked at considering the amount of money that is spent on things like diabetes or cardiovascular disease every year.

PV: I suppose I agree there, we should be starting from the ground up when it comes to our health. I still think that vaccinating your child is the right thing to do, and quite frankly I do think it should be compulsory because children dying of preventable disease outweighs any societal impacts. The government should also be looking at making the correct information more readily available because I don't see anyone from either side backing down from what they believe in.

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