Thursday 12 February 2015

Mother posts viral Facebook message against anti-vaccination advocates

Jennifer Hibben-White says her newborn baby Griffin was

Jennifer Hibben-White says her newborn baby Griffin was exposed to measles at a doctor’s office. (Credit: Jennifer Hibben-White’s Facebook page. )
A mother in Ontario, Canada, took to social media to express her anger at the anti-vaccination movement after reporting that her doctor notified her that her newborn son was exposed to the measles virus.
Jennifer Hibben-White posted her story on Facebook on Tuesday, expressing her frustration upon learning that her 15-day-old son Griffin was potentially exposed to the measles virus at a doctor’s…
A mother in Ontario, Canada, took to social media to express her anger at the anti-vaccination movement after reporting that her doctor notified her that her newborn son was exposed to the measles virus.
Jennifer Hibben-White posted her story on Facebook on Tuesday, expressing her frustration upon learning that her 15-day-old son Griffin was potentially exposed to the measles virus at a doctor’s office on Jan. 27.  
“Someone who later developed measles sat in the doctor’s waiting room between 1 hour before and 30 minutes before we arrived,” wrote Hibben-White on her Facebook page.  
Hibben-White says that she and her children are under isolation at home until Feb. 17, watching closely for symptoms. Griffin, as well Hibben-White’s 3-year-old daughter Aurelia, are both at greater risk of developing measles since they are too young to have received a measles vaccination.  
“I won’t get angry at or blame the person in the waiting room,” wrote Hibben-White in her post. “But I do know one thing: if you have chosen to not vaccinate yourself or your child, I blame you.”
Hibben-White’s Facebook post comes during a time of great debate surrounding vaccinations, with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie causing controversy with his opinion that parents should “have some measure of choice in things as well.”
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Canada’s federal health minister Rona Ambrose spoke out on Feb. 10 against some parents’ decision not to get their children vaccinated against infectious diseases, calling the decision “really irresponsible,” according to The Huffington Post.
“You think you are protecting them from autism? You aren’t,” wrote Hibben-White. “You know what vaccines protect your children from? Pain. Suffering. Irreparable harm. Death.”  
Hibben-White’s post has gone viral, with more than 220,000 shares as of Wednesday afternoon.  
“By putting yourself out there you are putting a name, a story and a reality to the consequences of the anti-vaccine movement,” commented Sarah Davies-Radovan.  “That, my friend, is something that has been lacking in the debate for so long.”


Mother posts viral Facebook message against anti-vaccination advocates

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