Mich. ranks fourth worst in U.S. in vaccination rates

In case you missed it, Susan Demas’ MLive column this past week pointed out that Michigan ranks as one of the worst states in terms of child vaccination rates.

In fact, it ranks well below Mississippi. And, I would add, the Mitten State trails many African nations in its adherence to a full schedule of vaccines. The disturbing map above shows the counties across the state that have a large number of anti-vaxxers.
Oakland, Washtenaw and Lapeer counties are among the worst. Houghton, Cheboygan and Leelenau are at the bottom.

Dumas recalls that she followed her pediatricians advice and provided all the scheduled vaccinations for her daughter (born in 2002), despite dealing with a fussy, colicky baby. “A crying child is better than a sick child -- or a dead child,” she concluded at the time.

Here’s a portion of Dumas’ take on the situation:

“Unfortunately, the anti-vaccination movement has … gained a foothold in America, with 41 percent of Americans ages 18-29 believing parents should choose whether to vaccinate. It's not surprising, since most of them have never seen the horror of measles or TB up close.
“And Michigan, which allows parents to opt out for religious and personal reasons, has the fourth-worst vaccination rate in the nation. Mississippi has the best rate for school-aged children, thanks to its strict, loophole-free vaccination requirement because "public health trumps parental choice."
“There's always been a political dimension to the anti-vax movement, attracting those on the far left (who believe good vibes and holistic medicine are cure-alls for deadly diseases) and the far right (who insist mandatory shots are a Big Government conspiracy).”