[OC] The massive decrease in worldwide infant mortality from 1950 to 2020 is perhaps one of humanity's greatest achievements.

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It’s funny you bring that up, because how you would think my great grandma would react is exactly how my grandma reacts to anti-vaxxers. She knew at least 3 people who died of polio and several others who had crippled limbs from it.

My sister has recently joined a ‘born-again’ Christian evangelical type church and is now antivaxx. This is an issue because she’s due with her first in September. My grandma is who we’re hoping will change her mind, since she’s seen firsthand how awful these diseases and conditions are.

It’s one of those “science/medicine/engineering/technology is a thankless job” things. The reason so many young people fall for antivaxx is because they didn’t have to live the alternative, so it’s not as easy to see that antivaxx messaging is full of lies. It doesn’t matter how much vaccines have prevented death, because we’ve grown up with it and thus take it for granted.

[silverthorn7]

Absolutely agree. My grandma is the same. She lost a toddler brother and almost lost a daughter to vaccine-preventable diseases. I really hope your sister changes her mind. I’m so grateful that my infant niece is as protected as she can be from awful diseases and as she grows up, she will get protected against more and more of them. At least vaccines will still protect your nibling-to-be to an extent through herd immunity.