vaccines

Whatever Happened To That Lyme Vaccine?

For the past couple of years, I’ve been wondering why the Vet can vaccinate our dog for Lyme*, but the best our doctor can offer is a dose of doxycyline, ex post facto. Why is it, despite the spraying and tucking and checking out the nooks and crannies post-walk, a simple stroll on a glorious summer day is more of a health risk for humans than for their best friend? (And here in Western MA, it’s a big risk.) Why isn’t there a human Lyme vaccine? In part, there isn’t a human vaccine thanks to the anti-vax movement.

Anti-Vaxxed?

In light of the fuss over Robert Di Niro and the movie Vaxxed; if anyone needs reminding of the value of vaccines, take a look at this diagram of 20th Century Death. These are estimates as they say but even so the numbers are humbling. I won’t go into the story behind the movie and its writer, director and one-time (now unlicensed) doc, that has been covered plenty (instead here is an interesting NYT article about the developer of the measles vaccine, Dr. Maurice Hilleman.
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Lessons from the Flu

As flu season approaches each year, thousands line up to receive a vaccine—but many others don't.