Thread by @richdavisphd

HOO BOY I just read the "Harvard Study Proves 'Unvaccinated Children Pose No Risk'" garbage, bunk, actually-just-an-open-letter-from-an-antivax-immunologist and I am DANGEROUSLY INFURIATED.

I will NOT be linking to this article. But it is garbage. *RAGE SCREAM* #VaccinesWork

What is notable is the approach: Consistently demonstrating that vaccines are 1) effective and thereby 2) changing the landscape of commonly seen infections to prove that vaccines DON'T prevent spread of disease??

It's a baffling strategy that doesn't work.
#VaxFactsFebruary

It turns out there's a rather good Snopes article debunking a lot of the scientific claims. If you MUST read this thing (which again I wont' link to) you can find it here: snopes.com/fact-check/har…

But since I'm already riled up, here are a few points from me… #VaccinesWork

Point 1: "Inactive polio vaccine can't prevent WT polio." SO THERE'S A VACCINE (oral) THAT IS DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF wild type polio! So vaccine's DO work. And decreased the incidence of polio in the U.S.A. Great. Thanks. #VaccinesWork

Point 2: "Tetanus is not contagious, so why are making everyone be vaccinated with it?" MOST vaccines both prevent serious infection in the patient AND combining tetanus w/ diphtheria and pertussis sure helps decrease the spread of those (AND their disease). Again: #VaccinesWork

Point 3. "DTaP is against diptheria toxin - also for personal protection, not protecting the community."

Stupid. Vaccine prevents diphtheria toxin-containing bacteria which LITERALLY spread to others, increasing risk of disease in them. Protects you AND everyone. #VaccinesWork

Point 4: "Pertussis vaccine is not as good anymore."

Right. We switched vaccine (whole-cell for B. pertussis to an acellular). Prevents serious disease, not so much transmission. How do we know it's "not as good" BECAUSE IT WORKED/WORKS BUT WE CAN KEEP IMPROVING #VaccinesWork

SIDE NOTE TO THIS STUPID THREAD:

Yesterday I got to talk to a physician who is treating a 3 month old baby (too young to be vaccinated) who has confirmed (PCR+) Bordetella pertussis which he caught from his brother.

Whooping cough is not a thing to mess around with.

Point 5: "Hib vaccine is just against H. influenzae type B and NOW we mostly have other types so why are we still using Hib? Also here's a paper from Primary Children's hosptial/U of U showing this point."

YOU KEEP SHOWING THAT VACCINES WORK! AND FURTHERMORE...

The 2011 paper you cited (by folks I know personally) tracks invasive disease from H. influenzae, in ALL ages and it's clearly stated that the vast majority of these invasive infections are in the elderly NOT KIDS BECAUSE THE VACCINE WORKS. #VaccinesWork #VaxFactsFebruary

Point 6: "Some people vaccinated against #measles don't mount a protective response so why discriminate [their word] against vaccine opposed."

Because if there's a 4% chance your seat belt might be less effective in a crash THAT DOESN'T MEAN DON'T WEAR A SEAT BELT #VaccinesWork

"Some people aren't protected by measles vaccination."

So what you're saying is …#VaccinesWork?

"You can get measles even if you're vaccinated (4.7% of people are low-vaccine responders)"

Yeah. Biology's funny. AND 100% OF UNVACCINATED PEOPLE ARE LOW-VACCINE RESPONDERS!

Point 7: "Natural infection --> better antibodies than 'fake' vaccine antibodies."

HOW STRANGE THERE'S NOT A CITATION ATTEMPTING TO SUPPORT THIS STUPID GARBAGE ASSERTION!!

A common #antivax myth and DESPICABLY untrue. An immunologist trying to make that fly? No. #VaccinesWork

Point Whatever-point-we're-on: "Also you can give a baby w/ #measles therapeutic IgG to protect them."

Ho. Lee. Crap.

1) That protective antibody? It's what you get FROM THE VACCINE!! *head explode emoji*
2) IT'S HORRENDOUSLY EXPENSIVE
and (wait, you're gonna love this) . . .

(cont.)
3) Do you know what you give to help protect kids with #measles if you can catch it w/in 72hrs? THE VACCINE! BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU ANTIBODIES that *MIGHT* help protect the kid, make them less infectious. #VaccinesWork cdc.gov/measles/hcp/in…

I'm infuriated. That this exists, that it's been circulating (pathogen-like) for years, that someone who absolutely should know better wrote it is deplorable.

End thread or whatever.

But please believe me, believe the data, and believe that #VaccinesWork.

"Same difference" is a FUN oxymoron

"#antivax immunologist" is a BAD AND DANGEROUS oxymoron

https://twitter.com/nabeel_zah/status/1095786819764006913