Originally posted https://www.app.com
Medically complicated cases underscore problems with herd immunity approach | Letter to the editor Feb. 12, 2020
Our oldest son Michael has neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) (with micro-deletion) that, among other symptoms, causes his nerve cells to grow tumors. Michael was vaccinated until he was 6 months old. A pediatric immunologist and his pediatrician both instructed us not to vaccinate him further. After a urinalysis revealed that the few vaccinations Michael did receive resulted in alarming levels of aluminum in his tissues, his NF doctors expressed concern. Both NF doctors made it clear that any level of heavy metals was a concern, especially for Michael.
We exercise the religious exemption for vaccines because of our religious beliefs. If we didn’t Michael would not be covered by a medical exemption in New Jersey nor protected by herd immunity.
He would not be protected by the medical exemption because he does not qualify for the contraindications or precautions established by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices. He would not be protected by herd immunity because it is not the infections that he is particularly vulnerable to, but the chemicals in the vaccines.
He is vulnerable to the chemicals in vaccines because all his nerve cells already have 1 hit/mutation in the 2 hit process for tumor growth. Furthermore, he has a MTHFR mutation that has been shown to cause increased sensitivity to some chemicals, such as mercury. In the case of the medically complicated, of which Michael’s is one of many, forced vaccination in the name of herd immunity would cause harm and undermine public health.
Joe Woerner family
Asbury Park