CBS News writer Walter Freeman reported on November 7, 2011 regarding the very sticky and icky situation that Tennessee has found itself in. According to Jerry Martin, a U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, parents have been purchasing lollipops via Facebook that have been licked by someone ill with chickenpox. The article is filled with comments from all perspectives of the event; a government official, a doctor, and a subject selling chickenpox lollipops all sharethoughts.
Parents have been purchasing this alternative method of immunization through a Facebook group called “Find a Pox Party in Your Area”. The customers could order chickenpox infected lollipops, q-tips, and spit. A vendor of the items, Wendy Werkit of Nashville, TN, justifies her sales because kids “can't get (chickenpox) the normal way anymore of just naturally catching and just naturally getting the immunity for life”.
Dr. Isaac Thomsen, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, says that this transmission is unlikely effective in giving chickenpox to other people. Thomsen worries more about other diseases that could potentially be on the lollipops, such as hepatitis. He also worries because one person on the Facebook group asked if she could acquire anything with measles on it, an even
more dangerous disease than chickenpox.
District attorney Martin asked the Associated Press "Can you imagine getting a package in the mail from this complete stranger that you know from Facebook because you joined a group, and say here, drink this purported spit from some other kid?” His comment captures the feel of the entire situation; it is horrible, disgusting, and dangerous.
This article relates to a topic that we will study in the future: vaccination debate. The persons who purchased the chickenpox infected items did so because they did not want their child to be vaccinated. They disagree on the process of vaccination for their own personal reason and therefore searched for another method to immunize their child.
Today’s vaccination debate has many sides to it. Those who are opposed to vaccines have that mindset for medical and religious reasons. Some believe that vaccines cause harm in the development of a child. Other people’s religions put restrictions on their medical practices because ultimately, God will choose their path. Still, others hold beliefs that overcoming a disease will make the child stronger in the grand scheme of things.
Personally, this article is repulsive. It is fascinating that even with modern knowledge people would still sell a chicken pox infected lollipop. Worst, there are people in the world who will gladly purchase it. It is understandable that some do not support vaccines, but they could at least expose their child to the disease in a different method.
This article really stood out to me because it is unlike anything I have ever heard of. I know that many people can be against actual vaccination, but this idea of licking a lollipop or making a child immune to chicken pox by another person's spit or a q-tip seems completely unsanitary. What are the parent's heads thinking when they have their small child lick a lollipop that, as Dr. Isaac Thomsen makes a great point, could have multiple other diseases on it, such as hepatitis. I would not even think of licking a lollipoop that some stranger has also licked, nor have a child have to lick one either.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Christine's comment and Kate's reaction at the end of the blog post. Sometimes I don't even like sharing food/drink with my friends if they are possibly sick because I don't know what they actually have. I just don't understand how a parent could support this practice of their children licking infected (with potentially anything) lollipops, but be against vaccination in the "normal" way (except for religious reasons, I guess). I just wonder, what would happen if someone did end up getting another disease from licking this "chickenpox lollipop"?
ReplyDeleteThis article certainly caught my attention because it is so unusual. It seemed really weird to me that people would purchase these lollipops from Facebook! I guess it could be a good way for kids to get immune because what child wants to get a shot when they could just lick a lollipop? However, I would never do something like this because it is truly disgusting and no one knows what other diseases are on the lollipops. It is interesting to see what other ways people are using to become immune to diseases like chickenpox.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I can empathize for those of whom disagree with either the process or the entire procedure of vaccination for religious reasons, but other than that, this idea is completely repulsive. There are so many reasons that this is dangerous. For example, you don't know who you're are purchasing the so called chicken pox from and what their motives are. Even if the motives are pure and simply want to provide the immunization of children, there can be countless other diseases on the lollipop that are unknown to both the provider and receiver.--I can understand the initial train of thought of parents surrounding the issue (immunizations are expensive, who wants a screaming kid, it's easy, etc.)... But they are simply not diving deep enough into the issue--All in all, this not merely disgusting, but 'dangerous'.
ReplyDeleteThis is definatley a disturbing article. Not only is the thought of children licking infected lollipops, but the parents buying these lollipops off of facebook.... Though the idea is somewhat practical for children afraid of needles, the fact that there was probably no sanitary procedures taken with the lollipop. A child could have more than chicken pox in their saliva, but strep throat or other illnesses like mono. Good example of a good idea with bad marketing.
ReplyDeleteReading this blog post scares me because all I can think about is the horrible things on that lollipop. The internet is a dangerous place. The craigslist killer is one example of how you can not trust the poeple you meet on the computer. Anyone can make a fake facebook account. Who knows if the person selling these lollipops is an actual doctor, a housewife or a killer? Trusting these unknown people on the internet is very dangerous espically when it comes to the health of your child.
ReplyDeleteVaccination isnt uncommon today. Many children get shots each and every day. Most children get a new shot each year. This shows that vaccination is used every day. Why would you risk these dangers of the lollipop when you can go to a clinic, or doctors office and get the best and safest treatment. Taking the risk with these lollipops is not worth it in my point of view.
I think the most shocking part of this article was when the doctor said that he was more worried about people contracting other diseases such as hepetitis. Or even other people wanting their kids to cathc other diseases such as measels. I think some of these parents are crazy. This all seems so dangerous and so risky. All of this is too dangerous and sketchy because its all dealt with through facebook and with people that you hardly know.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that really stood out to me about this article was the fact that people were willing to accept these infected lollipops from people they did not even know and had only met on the internet. It scared me to think of all the possible diseases that could be on those lollipops, but what scared me even more was the fact that people were more willing to take such a risky method than just go to the doctor and get a shot.
ReplyDeleteI think the thing that really struck home to me was the fact that people react to epidemic disease in much the same way we have for so many years. I mean really...we do the strangest things. You can order pox lollipops and spit? People would rather get spit with the possibility of getting other bacteria along with the pox bacteria instead of just getting a shot? Where is the logic in that? At least with the shot the risk is lower. And interestingly, I don't usually prefer medical procedures, I like natural remedies but that just's weird to me.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this blog post I feel a little sick, and acutally quite disturbed. It is apalling that some parents are so ignorant that they would actually purchase a disease infected anything for their children off facebook. Not only is facebook completly not trustworthy but who knows who is behind the computer actually selling these lolipops. I think our generation needs to be better educated on health and how they should trust vaccinations and health management to their local pediatrician. On the other hand this is a strong article and really brings out strong emotions from the people reading it.
ReplyDeleteI thought that this article said a lot about one person. Personally i do not think that I would ever give my kids these lolipops. First I think that facebook is not an appropriate place to buy lolipops off of. I think that a lolipop with a disease on it would not be the best thing to give to a little kid because you never no what the outcome would be. But I thought that this article was very interesting to read and I liked hearing about what other people think about this problem.
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