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A House of Cards: Vaccine-Induced Herd Immunity

House of Cards: a structure, situation, or institution that is insubstantial, shaky, or in constant danger of collapse [*]
 

 
In the 17th century, John Milton, a poet and writer, was the first to use this idiomatic expression and it has changed little in meaning over the centuries.
 
If you’ve ever attempted to build a house out of cards you know that it has the outward appearance of strength and  stability – all the while, the house is threatened by imminent collapse by a simple puff of air or a slight tilt of the foundation. 
 
This House of Cards analogy is ideal for understanding what herd immunity refers to when encompassing an introduction and reliance on a vaccine (and boosters) for protection throughout life.
 
*Incorporating a vaccination schedule (whether select, delay or on schedule) into your healthcare practice is your decision and, in my humble opinion, should be made on the grounds of examining data that both supports its use and challenges it. Vaccine induced immunity must be explored in further detail to ensure we are making the most sound choice for our children.
 
 

The Manipulation of Pre-existing Herd Immunity
 

Fundamentally, herd immunity exists/existed prior to vaccination.
 
With each national vaccine campaign, epidemiology (and herd immunity) is modified, benefiting some while actually placing another group at higher risk than before.[*][*][*][*]

While it is perceived beneficial that some vaccinated diseases have diminished over time (such as measles, chicken pox), it is very likely that these infections existed in a precise biological niche that was very much intentional – benefits in which our current understanding cannot yet comprehend.[*]

This massive disruption of previously acquired immunity results in a destabilization of epidemiologic patterns for many years.[* p297]
 
It also results in a precarious House of Cards - a reliance on vaccine-induced herd immunity.
 
 

Acquired immunity:  occurs as a result of exposure to an infectious agent or its antigens or of passive transfer of maternal antibody or immune lymphoid cells, renewed throughout life from continual cyclical re-exposure to the disease.[*]
 

Artificial immunity:  acquired immunity produced by deliberate exposure to an antigen.[*]
 
 
Infectious systems are highly complex biological structures.
 
In reference to herd immunity, a system may contain hundreds of demographic and epidemiological variables (which can be seen as the puff of air or tilt of the foundation in the House of Cards)  – all of which influence a population’s immunity to a virus/bacteria.
 
The science and intuition built on decades of practical epidemiological experience still often fail to predict outcomes/implications of vaccination programs. Below, is a brief list of some factors that may be considered threats to the house of vaccine-induced immunity.[*]
 
 

Dependence on Boosters Throughout Life
 
Currently, US vaccine recommendations target 17 “vaccine-preventable” diseases across a lifespan.
 
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2020 (which provides a 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans) state that:
 

“As the demographics of the population continue to shift, public health and health care systems will need to expand their capacity to protect the growing needs of a diverse and aging population.”[*]
 
This means the House of Cards (vaccine-induced immunity) depends on you, me and grandma to get our booster vaccinations throughout life to maintain this newly invoked herd immunity.
 
Currently, we have boosters for young children, for preteens, for teens, for adults, for pregnant women, for college kids, for healthcare workers, for seniors – oh, and don’t forget your annual flu shot.[*]
 
The list is growing, not diminishing – this should raise concerns.
 
When vaccination initially began, the administration of a vaccine and the immunity to follow was thought to be similar to the naturally acquired immunity. However, we now know vaccines offer waning and incomplete protection which may lead to resurgence and epidemic outbreaks.[*]
 
Booster dose vaccination is not a pinch-hitter, rather boosters throughout life is just one of many fundamental keys to maintain vaccine-induced herd immunity within a population.
 
 

A Traveling Population
 
In 2012, over 30 million Americans traveled internationally, at the same time welcoming 67 million international visitors.[*][*] 
 
International travel (business/leisure) and migration represent a risk to herd immunity, particularly vaccine-induced herd immunity.[*]
 
According to the CDC, exposure to diseases brought into the US by American who travel abroad or from incoming visitors may overcome vaccine protection.[*][*]
 
Unfortunately, the manipulation of existing epidemiology does not change globally when a national vaccine program is implemented.  Unless we restrict international travel and migration, this pillar in the House of Cards will always be at risk of crumbling.
 

Example: 2010 Mumps outbreak in New Jersey and lower New York

Source of infection: 11-year-old boy at the camp. He had recently returned from the United Kingdom

Vaccine Protection: 88% had received at least 1 dose of mumps-containing vaccine, and 75% had received 2 doses[*][*][*]
 
 
The response to an outbreak such as the one in 2010: administer another booster.[*]
 
 

A Mother’s Protection (or Lack Thereof)
 
There’s nothing quite like a mother’s love and protection, particularly in the case of humoral and passive immunity.
 
Prior to vaccination, it was a newborn’s birthright to receive his/her mother’s antibodies to disease (intended to last long enough to prevent infection until immune function is mature enough).
 
Prior to the vaccination campaigns we see today, a newborn received antibodies against infectious diseases from their mother, who themselves had been infected as children (and re-exposed to the diseases later in life). Today, babies born to mothers who were vaccinated and never exposed to these diseases lack this protection.  
 

(2013) Babies born to unvaccinated mothers maintain their antibody protection about 61% longer than vaccinated mothers. That’s significant, a clear indication that vaccinations reduce newborn babies’ immunity to measles, and very likely to other infectious diseases for which vaccinations are given.[*]

 

(2001, 1994) Maternal antibodies erode faster than previously estimated, especially in infants who were born to mother’s that have been vaccinated.[*][*]
 
The protection this newborn population had prior to vaccination is being eroded with each national vaccine campaign.
 
One answer to alleviate this threat: targeting new vaccines for pregnant mothers.[*]
 
 

The Catch 22 of Disease Elimination and Wild-type boosters
 
An infectious disease has the ability to offer lasting protection. Even with natural immunity waning over time, subsequent enhancement (boost) is provided by asymptomatic encounters with the infection. [*]
 
However, when vaccination is introduced the prevalence of infection declines, which in turn reduces the amount of boosting and hence the level of immunity. What is more surprising is that the interaction between vaccination and waning immunity can lead to pronounced epidemic cycles.[*]
 
This data leads researchers to rest their hope of eliminating vaccinated diseases (‘vaccine-preventable disease’) by relying on protection promoted by circulating wild-type viruses.[*]
 
Nonsensically, that means we hope to attain elimination of disease while depending on the continuation of the wild-type disease.
 
??
 
How can you have elimination if the disease if it is still in circulation boosting vaccine-induced herd immunity?
 
 

Evolution
 
From the rise in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causing deadly skin infections to the bacterial colonies on your hands evolving to resist your antibacterial soaps and hand gels, evolution is present in our daily lives.[*]
 
The two strongest examples of evolution in disease within our current vaccination programs is influenza and pertussis.
 
Of the former (influenza), everyone is well aware of – every year, starting in early September, we are reminded that the old vaccine we administered last year is useless and we need to get the updated vaccine to protect ourselves, our children and our community.[*]
 
The influenza virus experiences constant single-point mutations which renders the prior vaccine unidentifiable, requiring a new one every year.[*][*][*]         
 
Unfortunately, data continues to support that annual  influenza vaccination inhibits our body to fight other strains of flu not included in the vaccine and other respiratory virus infections.[*][*][*][*]
 
With the less discussed pertussis vaccine (the ‘ap’ part of the Tdap booster and the DTaP vaccine), mutation is more apparent than ever before but receives a lot less buzz.
 
If I had to render a guess as to why, it could be because of the key role the vaccine plays in the mutation of the bacteria.

 
 
Pertussis (aP) vaccination not only makes a person more susceptible to B. parapertussis infection but it also enhances the performance of the pathogen. Research completed in 2010 illustrates a 40-fold increase in B. parapertussis lung colony-forming units after vaccination of aP injections.[*][*]


(2012) Study completed by Kaiser Permanente Medical Center concluded that pertussis occurs more among vaccinated children than children not vaccinated for pertussis with the DtaP vaccine.[*]

 
The answer to alleviate this problem: earlier or more numerous booster doses of acellular pertussis vaccine.[*]
 

****
 
It seems the continual response to any weakness or flaw in vaccine-induced herd immunity is an increase in booster doses, occurring earlier and more often throughout life.
 
It is clear that each infectious system that has a current national vaccination program hold their own complex biological structure with numerous variables.

Involuntary Pediatric Chemotherapy

"Current approaches to combat cancer rely primarily on the use of chemicals and radiation, which are themselves carcinogenic and may promote recurrences and the development of metastatic disease."

[Source: US Patent #5,605,930 Compositions and Methods for Treating & Preventing Pathologics including Cancer filed 3/7/94 Approved 2/25/97 Dr. Divorit Samid; The USA Dept. of HNS page 56]
 


Today, in a town only minutes away from the my home, a 10 year old girl is being forced to undergo chemotherapy treatment against her will and the wishes of her family.  
 
Even after the local County Probate Judge ruled *TWICE* in favor of the girl's parents, the hospital (Akron Children’s Hospital) continued their relentless attack against the family without any regard to what the girl and her family desired.[*][*]
 
After a third try, with inexhaustible funds, the hospital eventually had the ruling overturned and a hospital representative is the currently guardian of the young girl.
 
This story from my own hometown is alarming to say the very least. I mean, I’ve been in that hospital when I was little. My daughter has been in that hospital.
 
What may be more alarming is that this is not the only story of its kind.
 
2013
Ladon Riddle 3yrs
<Click here to read the story>
 
2011
Sarah 9 yrs
Oncologist turned mother into Child Protective Services and forced 13 months of chemotherapy even though she was cancer free.
<Click here to read the story>

 
2009
Daniel Hauser 13yr
A mother and her son fled after a court ruled for forced chemotherapy treatments.  
The parents said they "believe that the injection of chemotherapy into Danny Hauser amounts to an assault upon his body, and torture when it occurs over a long period of time."
<Click here to read the story>
 


2008
11 yr Ontario boy taken from parents
<Click here to read the story>

 
 
 
A more notable case spurned the emotional and compelling 2010 documentary Cut, Poison, Burn where a family was forced to administer chemotherapy to their 4 yr old son, Thomas, after objecting to conventional treatment, choosing instead to seek out less invasive, less damaging, and less life threatening approach.
Their son was cancer free at the time of forced administration of chemotherapy.
Thomas Navarro died during the treatments. His death certificate states the cause of death as: Respiratory failure due to chronic toxicity of chemotherapy.
 
 
Neglect versus Informed Choice

 
Most people, myself included, have had first or second-hand experience with cancer.
 
Whether you’ve watched a mother or friend struggle, or if you happen to be a survivor yourself – then you understand how difficult the battle is.
 
In my experience, in cancer treatment (especially chemotherapy) a key element is the patient having a positive outlook and attitude on the treatment received. Forcing a chil) against their will to undergo horrendous treatment for several months is questionable and will no doubt impact any treatment’s influence over the disease.
 
Obviously, there are cases in which parents act irrationally without data/counsel which seriously neglects the health of a child – but these cases are not relevant to that scenario.
 
Cancer, not that long ago, was a rare disease and now it is a leading cause of death among Americans.
 
Over the century, we have dramatically altered the way we live and eat which is obviously having a significant effect on our (and our children’s) health.
 
Today, the majority of members in our society are freely selecting to adopt unhealthy habits. In fact, we are encouraged to do so – each one of us encouraged to let our children learn and live a lifestyle that promotes disease, while at the same time, we are losing the right to select which medical therapies to treat our children’s diseases with.
 
The majority of chemotherapy drugs used on children and not approved by the FDA for pediatric use and are known to be carcinogenic (meaning it causes cancer).[*][*]
 
 
 

Alternative Treatment

 
If you have witnessed someone going through chemotherapy, you know it is not a health-promoting treatment. Chemotherapy utilizes a mixture of toxins to eliminate and kill cancer cells (which also does not discriminate against the healthy cells in the body).
 
Getting the correct diagnosis is critical and conventional medicine excels at this. Another important factor in curing cancer is to know all your options for conventional and alternative treatments.
 
Chemotherapy is only one of several cancer treatments  - If you are interested in alternative treatments, start here:





 
 
It can be said with most certainty that when someone donates their time or money to a pink-ribbon walkathon or cancer charity, they believe that are doing a good thing.
 
They believe they are funding cancer research that is vital to curing cancer. However, the money donated to these charities perpetuates the status quo of cancer treatment (namely toxic pharmaceuticals and expensive machines).
 
The National Cancer Institute's annual budget was $5.2 billion (2010).
 
Alternative treatments that are witnessing real progress against cancer do not receive any money from the government or these charities 
 
The most promising cancer therapies to emerge in the past three decades from the Burzynski Clinic is all self-funded.



Action

If you find what Akron Children’s Hospital is doing to be deplorable, consider going to their facebook page and making a public statement. You find you are not alone – adding your voice to many others who are speaking up.  



If you have not yet seen the documentary Cut, Poison, Burn – you can purchase it here or view the official trailer:
 

Your Rights (or Lack Thereof) Against Mandatory Vaccine Programs

Mandatory flu vaccine policies are touching more lives than ever right now, especially in the healthcare field – here is why and who is speaking up against it (it might surprise you).


New Hospital Policies
 
New hospital policies on mandatory flu vaccines for its employees is an excellent example of what rights and liberties we really have to say no.
 
As you may be aware of, the newly enacted Affordable Heathcare Act (aka Obamacare) has been implemented. What you may not be aware of is that the Policy establishes a Hospital Value-Based Purchasing program.[*]
 
What the heck does that have to do with flu vaccines and HCWs – well, under the Hospital VBP Program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will reduce payment amounts depending on if performance standards are reached within that hospital.[*][*][*]
 
What performance standards, exactly?
 
Beginning JAN 1st (2013), hospitals will be required to submit summary data on influenza vaccination of their healthcare personnel (via the CDC and the National Healthcare Safety Newtork-NHSN).[*]
 
In summary, hospitals will not get fully reimbursement through government funds unless they meet their performance standards for influenza vaccination set by the government.
 
….ahhhhh, now it makes sense why hospital’s ‘care’ so much about their patients being protected from catching the flu from their personnel.
 

No Exemption For You

 
First off, as you may be aware, there are State laws in place that provide exemptions for some populations. Such as:[*]

-children attending day-care centers
-day-care center employees
-schoolchildren
-college students
-hospital patients
-residents of long-term care facilities

 
However, the laws protecting average adults such as myself (and you) are lacking.[*]
 
If the administration at your job decided one day that mandatory vaccination was in the best interest for their bottom line then (unless barring approved medical exemption) you would be required to oblige or face termination.
 
There is no religious or philosophical exemption option for you – even if you State allows these for populations that are listed above.
 
You read that right - no constitutional right exists to either religious or philosophic exemptions for the average person.
 
The liberty secured by the Constitution of the United States to every person within its jurisdiction does not import an absolute right for vaccine exemption. This is considered for the  common good and that an organized society could not exist without “safety to its members”.[*]
 
But what happens when Policy is carried out without scientific evidence supporting it?
 
People start to speak up…
 
 

The Push Back
 
I get it, the strategy for this recommendation is based on the argument (rather than actual data) that because of their proximity to patients, HCW mandatory vaccination protects themselves and their patients from influenza (and complications from it).
 
Unfortunately, the evidence base supporting this mandatory policy is unsound, prejudiced and not supported by existing literature.[*]
 
There are many policies that are carried out that lack evidence, but when real people are losing everything they’ve worked for because of it then people start getting noisy.
 
(And if you have not been affected or know someone who has than it is only a matter of time until you do).

Last year in my state of Ohio, which has a mandate that hospital employees be vaccinated, the healthcare company TriHealth fired more than 150 workers for not complying with influenza vaccine mandates.[*]

Such massive terminations from hospitals do not go unnoticed, National Nurses Union (the largest nurses union in the country) began to speak publicly on its opposition to such mandatory policies required of healthcare workers.


“RNs care deeply about health policies regarding the transmission of the influenza virus in  health care settings, but believe that comprehensive employer-sponsored voluntary vaccination programs can be effective only if extensive education is provided on the risks and benefits of vaccination, the vaccines are conveniently accessible to employees.


Mandatory flu vaccination programs engender distrust and resistance among employees; offer a disincentive to providing vaccination education to employees, and raise ethical and legal questions about the personal employment rights of employees.”[*]  


The National Nurses Union (NNU) joines the Occupational Safety and Health Agency, as well as other major healthcare unions and organizations, who all say there is insufficient evidence for the federal government to promote mandatory influenza vaccination programs that might result in employment termination.[*]


The co-president for the NNU, Karen Higgins, goes on record to state:


“It is unfortunate that for-profit pharmaceutical companies were consulted in this matter yet the voices of the nation’s direct-care hospital RNs have gone unheard. Nurses are calling for an open process to explore the best way to protect patients and healthcare workers, not one that is driven by corporate profits.”[*]
 


The Data

 
Data published just last month (SEPT 2013) from the CDC, illustrates little evidence of protection for patients when a mandatory flu vaccination programs for HCW’s is employed.[*]

In fact, The Cochrane Review analysis found no evidence to support compulsory vaccination of HCW (finding “low or very low levels of evidence”).[*]
 
Data published in 2009 from a meta-analysis review presents NO evidence that the flu vaccine decreases complications, such as pneumonia, or TRANSMISSION.[* 

This is not only unsettling but outrageous considering hardworking people are losing their jobs and their families are suffering because of this.  
 
Vaccination of healthcare workers to protect vulnerable patients should be viewed as an evidence-based recommendation. Period.


****

Please continue share the stories you come across where nurses or healthcare workers find themselves having to choose between maintaining their financial security or holding on to their personal beliefs and convictions.

  
The post is dedicated to my friend, who has requested to be anonymous because she fears that she will be terminated if this post is seen by her employer.

Below is part of the document she recently received from her employer/hospital. She is currently breastfeeding and has a choice to administered an influenza vaccine or be terminated. Medical exemption does not qualify breastfeeding as a contradiction. All medical exemption must be approved by a review process established by hospital leadership.

Your voice is heard.