Vaccinations: A matter of rights?

Currently in the UK swine flu vaccines are being offered to those seen to be at risk of contracting the virus and those who are in direct contact with these individuals[1].  A list of these groups can be found at NHS choices website[2].  This is a preventative measure to limit the spread of the swine flu virus and protect those in society who will be most vulnerable to serious illness if they contract swine flu.  Limiting the spread of a flu pandemic is a major priority for policy makers and the reason why so much has been invested into advertising good hygiene practices (The “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it” campaign in the UK[3]).

Another way to prevent the spread of the virus is to vaccinate those who live and work closely with vulnerable individual first.   Healthcare workers are currently being offered the vaccine.  By vaccinating people in groups at risk of spreading the virus limits the spread within hubs of vulnerable individual such as hospitals.  The importance of vaccinating people in these groups cannot be understated which is why Professor Salisbury has been so critical of NHS staff who do not take the vaccine:

“They [NHS staff] have a duty to their patients not to infect their patients and they have a duty to their families,” [4]

Vaccines are often criticised as not being 100% effective, the NHS choices website state:

“Seasonal flu vaccines give around 70-80% protection against infection with flu virus strains. Because the swine flu vaccines are an exact match to the swine flu strain that is currently circulating, they should give at least this amount of protection.” [5]

Even if a vaccine is only 70% effective against infection, it will still limit the spread of the virus and slow the rate of infection, allowing for healthcare services to cope with a pandemic.  It is because the vaccine is not 100% effective that as many people as possible should take the vaccine when offered, particularly those who are at risk of spreading the virus to those with compromised immune systems.   Given that vaccines are aimed at preventing the spread of the flu virus to those most vulnerable and the lack of a 100% effective vaccine, I think it is highly irresponsible to advocate not having the vaccine.  By protesting against vaccines and spreading misinformation about side effects anti-vaccination protestors are in direct opposition to the health of the society.

As noted by some[6], the government currently have no plans for a mandatory vaccination program, yet this is one of the issues campaigners are protesting against. The claim that the government is suppressing civil liberties by forcing people to be vaccinated is false, the local authority current has powers to:

“require examination, hospitalisation, or isolation of infected persons, create a criminal offence relating to exposing others to risk of infection, and allow some controls over school attendance and playgrounds.

In other words, although local authorities cannot force people to be vaccinated under those powers, they can for example refuse to admit children to school unless they have been vaccinated.”[7]

There is also a contingency plan for a national medical emergency, however this is only in extreme cases.  Whilst a contingency program for mandatory vaccinations is a contentious issue and should be properly discussed, the anti vaccination protester are using this as a screen to evoke hostility towards the current vaccination program.

Many anti-vaccination protester have focused on people’s right to choose wither to vaccinate or not[8].  Whilst I support people rights, these rights only extend to a point where they do not affect the rights of others.  It maybe my right to smoke, however I do not get the choice of where I can smoke and if some people do not wish to smell cigarette smoke should not have to, and that is their right.  Although anti-vaccination protesters have the right to choose wither they take the jab can they guarantee that they will not infect a vulnerable individual?  Their right to choose should not affect the rights of other individuals to be well protected against the flu virus.

Although the anti vaccination protest in Edinburgh this weekend will focus on the swine flu vaccine, VAN (vaccine awareness network) also campaign against other vaccines, including DTP, a vaccine that requires herd immunity to protect children who cannot for medical reason have the vaccine.  A comprehensive lay-review written by an immunologist can be found here[9].  Again, the rights of an individual to choose not to vaccinate should not affect the rights of other to herd immunity.

Even if anti-vaccination protestors decide to quarantine themselves in order to ensure they do not encourage the spread of infection, they are still advocating other people not taking the vaccine.  What if the scare mongering that they promote convinces a critical care nurse? Or a parent with young children? By muddying the waters and creating needless concerns anti-vaccination protesters are guilty of putting us all at a greater risk of infection.

I do not intend to convince anyone with this post, I just want make people think about the implications of not taking the flu jab when offered to them.  Anyone concerned about getting the flu jab should consult qualified medical authority and a list of sources can be found at the end of this post. The NHS website is a great resource for clear, comprehensive advice. The anti-vaccination protesters are trying to persuade people that they have the right to choose however this is a selfish attitude that ignores the impact on others.

For information about vaccines seek legitimate medical authority not opinion. Here is a list of resources you may want to consider:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pandemic-flu/Pages/QA.aspx#vaccine

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Swineflu/DG_177831

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=1296

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=2084#more-2084

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[1] http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/04April/Pages/Swineflulatest.aspx

[2] http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pandemic-flu/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[3]http://www.nhs.uk/video/pages/medialibrary.aspx?Uri=video/2009/October/Pages/CatchitBinitKillitAutumn2009.aspx

[4] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/6087782/Swine-flu-Doctors-who-refuse-vaccine-putting-patients-at-risk.html

[5] http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pandemic-flu/Pages/Vaccine.aspx

[6] http://notsofriendlyhumanist.wordpress.com/2009/12/09/anti-vax-march-this-saturday-in-edinburgh/

[7] http://www.scribd.com/doc/23331409/Home-Office-Provision-for-compulsory-vaccination-under-the-Civil-Contingencies-Act

[8] http://www.vaccineriskawareness.com/phy/clim/115923/IMG-0009.JPG

[9] http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=516

Alex Buque

Edinburgh Skeptics