For Fuck's Sake

[rynling]

Outbreaks of rabies seem to be rising across the U.S., CDC surveillance shows
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rabies-outbreaks-rising-us-deaths-vaccine-rcna227771

People are most often exposed to the rabies virus through the saliva of an infected wild animal that can get into the mouth, eyes or a wound, which is why bites are so dangerous. Prior to the 1960s, most cases in humans were from infected pets, usually a dog. Thanks to strict pet vaccination laws, the canine strain of rabies has been eliminated from the U.S.

Unfortunately...

Vaccine Hesitancy Among Pet Owners Is Growing: Public Health Expert On Why That Matters
https://stories.tamu.edu/news/2025/01/14/vaccine-hesitancy-among-pet-owners-is-growing-public-health-expert-on-why-that-matters/

In the same 2024 study, many of the concerns raised by pet owners mirror those of humans: More than half of pet owners question the effectiveness of vaccines. A similar percentage was concerned about vaccine safety and side effects. Many believed it was better for pets to contract a disease to get immunity than to get vaccinated. About 60% of pet owners thought that pets receive too many vaccines. Strikingly, nearly all pet owners preferred fewer vaccines to be administered to their pets at a time.

In other news, it's been fun (read: horrifying) to watch all my older colleagues come down with a "mysterious illness" at the beginning of the fall semester. Hmmmmm I wonder what that could be.

Comments

[lagertha_the_warrior]

This is such a big issue. I bet nobody ever guessed the future would entail anti-vaxxers. We went over this in my studies at uni. From what I recall, clear, plain education about vaccines and explaining how bad diseases can be, along with some photos of said disease, does help.

[rynling]

> some photos of said disease does help

As much as I dislike Hollywood movies, I'm starting to suspect that the decline of a general movie-watching audience has reshaped the culture somewhat. I get the feeling that people periodically need to see zombies in order to be reminded of what rabies looks like. There's definitely education about vaccines and infectious diseases in grade-school science classes in the United States, but... Idk, maybe you need these big dramatic disaster stories to get that education to stick?

Also it would be nice if the Centers for Disease Control weren't currently hemorrhaging staff due to severe cuts in federal funding. I guess this is what happens when you appoint someone with literal brainworms as the Secretary of Health 🫠

[lagertha_the_warrior]

The thing is though, a lot of people see these big disaster movies as fiction. It's a movie so it will never happen in real life, right? There's a lot of factors at play for anti vaxxers, but fear is a big one. I'm sure you have heard "you don't know what they put in them!" or "it's full of mercury!" or some other heavy metal.
And oh man as a Public Health student - it's so sad to see what's going on there with the health department :(

[lassarina]

If only there was some incredibly simple way to reduce these risks, well proven over years and readily available....

(I'm so fucking grateful to live in Illinois right now. If I must live in the US then at least I'm in a state that gives a fuck.)

[rynling]

For real. Like, thank heaven for small blessings. And I am definitely on Team Brandon Johnson these days.