TO VACCINATE OR NOT TO VACCINATE, THAT IS THE QUESTION

Allow me to begin with a silly question. If somebody left a piece of raw meat out in the sun for four hours (not on ice, mind you) would you eat it? Most people would say no, because it would be full of harmful bacteria. Some may have the idea that if you eat it, you'll be immune to some things. Is this logical? Well, no, because some of these viruses change and mutate.

So, if you wouldn't eat a piece of raw meat that had been left in the sun for four hours, why would you choose to be in contact with someone who has the measles, if you aren't vaccinated? The person who has them may only me mildly affected, but that doesn't mean to say that you will. You may become sicker than they are.

Many people labour on the misconception that the measles vaccine is responsible for increased cases of autism. You don't need Penn and Teller to tell you that this is a fallacy. Numerous studies have debunked Wakefield's preposterous theory, to the point that he has been prohibited from practising medicine.

A new one that I have heard is that mandatory vaccinations are an attack on parents rights. Well, really? Parents need to be aware that if kids mix with other kids, some of those kids may well have leukaemia or another condition that suppresses their immune system, making them more susceptible to infection. So, if you won't vaccinate your kids for their own protection, do it for others.

And contrary to the nonsense sprouted by some, autism is NOT a big scary monster, but a variation in being.