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Eugene

(62,847 posts)
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 05:36 PM Feb 2020

Advocates blame anti-vaxxers after four-year-old boy dies from flu

Source: The Guardian

Advocates blame anti-vaxxers after four-year-old boy dies from flu

Colorado boy’s mother admitted in a Facebook post she refused to fill the doctor’s prescription for Tamiflu

Kenya Evelyn in Washington
@LiveFromKenya
Fri 7 Feb 2020 19.10 GMT

Health advocates are blaming anti-vaccine propaganda perpetuated online for the death of a four-year-old Colorado boy from the flu earlier this week.

The boy’s mother, Geneva Montoya, admitted in a Facebook post that she refused to fill the doctor’s prescription for Tamiflu, the most common antiviral medication prescribed to treat the flu.

A search by NBC News uncovered the mother’s engagement with an online group called Stop Mandatory Vaccination. The group of nearly 140,000 members, also called anti-vaxxers, is known for peddling false health information and discouraging parents from vaccinating their children.

The state health department confirmed that the preschooler died from the flu. Officials also said they have no records showing the child had been vaccinated.

-snip-

Rather than medical attention, Montoya solicited unproven at-home flu treatments from fellow members of the Stop Mandatory Vaccination group. Many of the 45 comments included what Montoya called ‘“natural cures”, including lavender herbs and peppermint oil. None mentioned medical treatment.

-snip-


Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/07/colorado-boy-dies-flu-anti-vaccine-facebook-groups
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Advocates blame anti-vaxxers after four-year-old boy dies from flu (Original Post) Eugene Feb 2020 OP
There's no reason to demonize her when the child would likely have died regardless. Chemisse Feb 2020 #1
well, that was the point. that she didnt act once he was sick. mopinko Feb 2020 #2
Ahhh, I see the direct connection now, after rereading it. Chemisse Feb 2020 #3

Chemisse

(31,019 posts)
1. There's no reason to demonize her when the child would likely have died regardless.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 07:15 PM
Feb 2020

The childhood vaccinations would not have helped in the slightest, and this year's flu shot was a poor match for the influenza going around.

I know everybody loves to hate anti-vaxxers, but people need to use a bit of logic (not to mention compassion).

Now she may be fair game for neglecting to give the child Tamiflu, which may have helped.

mopinko

(72,086 posts)
2. well, that was the point. that she didnt act once he was sick.
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 11:36 AM
Feb 2020

no reason to believe a healthy kid that age wouldnt have weathered the flu.

but the whole point here is that this "movement" is about a lot more than vaccines. it's about bullshit, and bullying, and money, w predictably tragic results.
and zuck is fine w this.

Chemisse

(31,019 posts)
3. Ahhh, I see the direct connection now, after rereading it.
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 09:23 PM
Feb 2020

I didn't realize it was the antivax group that led her to avoid the antiviral treatment.

Oh well, the pendulum swings. If the coronavirus leads to a pandemic in the US, and if it really is significantly lethal, parents will be begging for the vaccine once it's developed.

I was just learning about diphtheria the other day and was shocked to find out what an awful disease it was (is - the pathogen is still around and able to infect unvaccinated kids). It creates a mass in the back of the tongue and the child dies of suffocation. Nowadays they could probably intubate though.

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