“This year, I will do what I can to keep from getting sick from an infection, and help others to do the same.”
In 1952, the polio epidemic reached its peak in the U.S.; 60,000 children would be infected. Thousands would be paralyzed, and 3,000 would die. Images of “the iron lung,” a medieval-looking machine which helped those with polio-caused respiratory paralysis to breathe, appeared everywhere. Mothers forbade their children from swimming in public pools. Fear gripped the country. Yet, by 1979, polio, an exceedingly infectious virus, was gone from the U.S. By 1988, polio was largely gone from the world — only 200 cases were reported. What had happened? Polio vaccinations. Universal vaccination had virtually eliminated polio, and dramatically reduced many other common but potentially severe infections, like diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).
After three decades, a case of polio was diagnosed in New York City in 2022. Polio virus was found in NYC wastewater, indicating the active spread of the virus. The reasons for this resurgence remain under investigation. However, its fact underlies the importance of ongoing vigilance. In the world of infections, complacency can be dangerous.
Vaccination is not just for children. The Centers for Disease Control recommends vaccination based on the risks of illness and the benefits of vaccination. For example, all of us, with rare medical exceptions, benefit from developing immunity against influenza, another highly contagious virus. In 2022, 21,000 people died from the flu, and 360,000 were hospitalized. Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of ending up in the intensive care unit by 80 percent. Yet this year, approximately 30 percent of Americans state they do not intend to be vaccinated.
Vaccination skepticism is increasing. Skepticism or opposition to getting vaccinated comes from a variety of concerns. Some people worry about vaccines’ side effects. Others believe that the risks of infectious illness are overstated, and that “natural” immunity is better than immunity acquired by vaccination. Some people believe that vaccines are inconsistent with their religious beliefs. Some of us in our highly individualistic society simply do not like anyone, especially our government, telling us (or even suggesting) what we should do. Finally, a few of us have fallen prey to conspiratorial thinking, in which vaccines are part of some sinister plot. No matter the cause, not getting appropriately vaccinated exposes us to avoidable risk, and because infectious diseases spread among people, increases the risk of illness to others. These are usually people closest to us — our family, friends, and neighbors. Infectious diseases are agnostic and apolitical. They threaten and can hurt us all.
At a recent Dukes County Health Council Meeting, Dave Caron, vice president for diagnostic and therapeutic services at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, presented the work of the Martha’s Vineyard Vaccine Task Force. The Vaccine Task Force’s mission is “to increase vaccine awareness and confidence on Martha’s Vineyard.” The task force “provides education and shares data analytics with healthcare providers and the general public.” It is a “multi-disciplinary group which includes library leadership, physicians, pharmacists, nurses, school board members, and the school system, healthcare organizations, boards of health, and CAP (Community Ambassador Partnership).” Caron reported that last year, 6.3 percent of Vineyard kindergarten students had an “exemption” from vaccination, with no record of necessary vaccinations. He noted that “anti-vaccine sentiment” increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that religious exemptions in Massachusetts “have dramatically increased” over the past 30 years. He worries that as a result, now uncommon but potentially severe illnesses like measles, mumps, diphtheria, and whooping cough may be on the way back.
A measles scare on the Vineyard in 2015 provoked a community conversation about the importance of vaccination that Erin Ryerson reported on in MV Magazine in her article “Isle of Denial.” She reported that most vaccination exemptions on the Vineyard are for “religious,” not medical, reasons. In Massachusetts, these “religious” reasons do not need to be specified. The fact is, no major religion prohibits vaccination. Legislation which would require more specificity in requesting a religious exemption has been proposed in the state legislature.
What should your New Year’s resolutions concerning reducing our and others’ risk of getting infections be? Some thoughts:
- Know your risks. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) publishes up-to-date information on infectious diseases and how to prevent them. The CDC gives advice on over 20 diseases, including COVID-19, influenza, hepatitis, mumps/measles/rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumococcal pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), herpes zoster (shingles), human papillomavirus (HPV), and influenza. Their vaccination recommendations vary by age, health status, and risk, and can easily be found online (cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/vaccines-age.html).
- Check your medical record, and talk with your doctor. Your immunization status should be recorded in your electronic medical record. Your record may include reminders of vaccines you might need. Finally, your doctor can give you advice appropriate to your specific medical needs. Ask them their opinion.
- Wash your hands — a lot of vaccinations are only one way we can prevent the spread of infectious disease. Washing one’s hands often can reduce the risk of spreading infection dramatically.
- Be considerate. If you are sick, or have a cold, stay home! (The numbers of deaths due to the flu fell dramatically during the COVID pandemic, when we avoided public gatherings.)
- Talk with your family and friends. If you find that their views on vaccination differ from yours, ask them why they believe what they do. Can they give you some evidence for their opinions? And share yours with them. We learn from each other, and learn best when we are open to understanding what we hear.
Bob Laskowski is the chair of Healthy Aging M.V.
