18 assertions about vaccines: #5 Vaccines don't prevent disease; herd immunity a fraud

Point #5

The following are NOT opinions, but actual verifiable facts. Research any of it if you have doubts or just want to expand your knowledge.

5) outbreaks occur in populations that are up to 90-99% vaccinated, AND most, if not all of those diagnosed with the disease have already been vaccinated against it. (If herd immunity is real, how is this even possible?)

Again, nested claims.

1. outbreaks occur in populations that are up to 90-99% vaccinated,
2. most, if not all of those diagnosed with the disease, have already been vaccinated against it.
3. Doubting the reality or efficacy of immunization-derived herd immunity

Do outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases occur in highly-vaccinated populations? It really depends upon the disease in question, and the efficacy of the vaccine. 

Let's talk about measles, which is highly virulent and has a very effective vaccine.  Vaccine efficacy in those who have received two doses of the measles vaccine (usually given as the MMR) is 95-98%, so in a fully vaccinated population of 1,000 people exposed to wild measles virus, we would expect to see 30-50 cases of measles. On the other hand, on a completely unvaccinated population of 1,000 people exposed to wild measles virus, we would expect to see up to 900 cases. 

Mumps is a different matter.  Vaccine efficacy in those who have received two doses of the mumps vaccine (usually given as the MMR) is 66% to 95%, so in in a fully vaccinated population of 1,000 people exposed to wild mumps virus, we would expect to see 340-50 cases of measles. On the other hand, on a completely unvaccinated population of 1,000 people exposed to wild mumps virus, we would expect to see 660-880  cases. In addition to the mumps vaccine being less effective than the measles vaccine, the duration of immunity from vaccination seems to wane, especially under conditions of close, prolonged contact (such as in dormitories and athletic locker rooms). 

Pertussis (whooping cough) is a third example. First, if you are lucky enough to survive wild pertussis, the immunity conferred is not life-long -- and may not be much longer than that conferred by immunization. Second, since the US moved to an acellular pertussis vaccine formulation, both vaccine efficacy and duration of immunity may have decreased. 

Does all this mean that "vaccines don't prevent disease?"  No. The world-wide evidence is overwhelming for the assertion that the vaccines against Hepatitis B, rotavirus, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type b4 (Hib), pneumococcal disease, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and Hepatitis A,  reduces or even eliminates disease burden.

What about the claims about herd immunity (or community immunity, if you prefer)?  

The concept of "herd immunity" refers to two related concepts

1. when when a high percentage of the population has immunity to a particular pathogen, the spread of disease is limited, because there are so few susceptible people left to infect.
2. when a a high percentage of the population has immunity to a particular pathogen, the non-immune members of that community are (somewhat) protected from contracting the disease, because the pathogen isn't circulating at a high rate.

It seems the author doesn't understand these two simple concepts, and so rejects even the notion that herd immunity exists.  The author doesn't cite sources, but one popular anti-vaccine source is an article by Russell Blaylock called "Herd Immunity From Vaccination Is A Myth". In this article, Blaylock claims that no vaccine gives life-long immunity, but surviving the disease always confers life-long immunity.  This is a demonstrably false (and dishonest) argument. Let's just take one disease we immunize against. Surviving pertussis does grant immunity, but it's not life-long -- it's about the same duration of immunity as from immunization -- without having to suffer the disease. 

The infectious organism doesn't know if an individual has "natural immunity" (from surviving the disease in question) or "acquired immunity" (from immunization).  Here's how herd immunity works:

(read more: Myth #6: Getting vaccinated is only about protecting yourself 

VERDICT: THE AUTHOR'S OPINION. 

Here is the list of claims, with links to the discussion of each claim:

• Bonus: Claim that "I'm doing the research that your pediatrician NEVER had to do."
• #1 Combined doses of Vaccines have NEVER been tested for safety. 
• #2 Vaccine manufacturers have been granted legal immunity from being sued when their products inflict damage. 
• #3 DNA from aborted fetuses is in vaccines.  
• #4 the CDC has been caught destroying and hiding evidence  
• #5 outbreaks occur in populations that are up to 90-99% vaccinated -- herd immunity a myth 
• #6 More people die from the MMR vaccine itself than die of the measles. 
• #7 Peanut allergies were almost unheard of prior to the use of peanut oil in vaccines. 
• #8 Multiple independent studies have shown vaccinated children are more likely to have asthma. 
• #9 Information on vaccines is hidden from parents.
• #10 Vaccine package inserts prove the dangers of vaccines.
• #11 Doctors are bribed to vaccinate
• #12 Vaccine manufacturers and the CDC are only self-regulated
• #13 Doctors are ill-informed about vaccines 
• #14 Vaccines cause SIDS&
• #15 Diseases have been renamed after the introduction of a vaccine. 
• #16 The anti-vaccine movement isn't new  
• #17 All live virus vaccines shed and cause diseases  
• #18 Combining acetaminophen and vaccines is dangerous. 
• Bonus: MTHFR gene variants and vaccination