Parents Scared of Vaccinations Okay With Giving Kids Lollipops Licked by Strangers

[aduidarnenye]

Saw this story. Moral panic? Internet hoax? Urban legend?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...175b83c99aa78d

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Parents fearful of vaccinations are being warned by a federal prosecutor that making a deal with a stranger who promises to mail them lollipops licked by children with chickenpox isn't just a bad idea, it's against the law.

Jerry Martin, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, said he was spurred by reports this week by KPHO-TV in Phoenix and WSMV-TV in Nashville about people turning to Facebook to find lollipops, spit or other items from children who have chickenpox.

"Can you imagine getting a package in the mail from this complete stranger that you know from Facebook because you joined a group, and say here, drink this purported spit from some other kid?" Martin told The Associated Press.

Isaac Thomsen, a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, said it's unlikely the items will succeed in giving other children chickenpox.

"If there's a very high load on the virus and shipped very quickly, it's theoretically possible," he said. "But it's probably not an effective way to transmit it. It typically has to be inhaled."

But Thomsen warned the lollipops could carry more dangerous viruses, including hepatitis.

Martin said it is a federal crime to send diseases or viruses across state lines, whether through the U.S. Postal Service or private services like FedEx or UPS. Sending the lollipops would be illegal under the same law that makes it illegal to mail contagions like anthrax. He said a conviction could lead to a sentence from less than a year to 20 years in prison.

Martin said the items are sought by parents who don't want to give their children vaccines. He said he could neither confirm nor deny that his office is investigating or seeking charges against anyone.

According to the TV reports, parents have turned to a Facebook group called "Find a Pox Party in Your Area" to link up people looking to share the virus.

One of the Facebook postings from Wendy Werkit of Nashville offered a "fresh batch of pox in Nashville shipping of suckers, spit and Q-tips available tomorrow 50 dollars via PayPal."

Werkit told WSMV that the money was used to cover the shipping costs of the lollipops had been licked by her children.

"They can't get (chickenpox) the normal way anymore of just naturally catching and just naturally getting the immunity for life," Werkit said.

Thomsen, the Vanderbilt physician, said he was even more concerned by a person in the KPHO report seeking items tainted with measles to avoid a school-required vaccination. Measles has a significant mortality rate, causes more complications and is very infectious compared with chickenpox, he said.

And law enforcement won't take any such cases lightly, Martin said.

"If you are engaged in this type of behavior, you're not only potentially exposing innocent people to dangerous viruses and illnesses and diseases, you're also exposing yourself potentially to federal criminal prosecution," he said.

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[mallister]

no use being stupid unless you show it?

[SilverBreeze]

What the fuck is wrong with people?

[kuronosan]

You can catch chickenpox from more than just inhaling. Varicella zoster is a virus, and it doesn't obey the normal laws of "infection".

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/heic/ID/vzv/#Trans

It can be direct transmission or respiratory. Sorry to be a picky ass about it...

Anyway, what the fuck? You're not okay with vaccinations but you're going to have a random person send you a lollipop? Do these idiots not realize it could have poison, more harmful viruses/bacteria, or drugs in them?

Fucking stupid people.

[Brill Weave]

Rednecks.

[Shakki]

I was expecting this to be an Onion article...and then I got to the end. What the hell

[Apelila]

When survival of the fittest missed because you already reproduced, only the truly stupid will try and find a way for 'Round 2'.

Anyone else think in 12-16 year's we're going to see a epidemic among children the likes of which we haven't seen since Polio (and the very real case that it might actually be polio?)

[Plow]

there's a vaccination for chicken pox?

[SilverBreeze]

Yep. Ask a teenager what chicken pox is these days and they'll look at you like you're crazy. One generation up and we all have our war stories and scars.

[hey]

Martin said it is a federal crime to send diseases or viruses across state lines,

So just gotta stick with in state people when sending antrax lolipops?

[Correction]

Came in here expecting to see a Confederate State in the lede.

Was not disappointed.

[Churchill]

News at 11: Parents are dumb

[archibaldcrane]

If they don't want their sexy teenage daughters getting the HPV vaccine and want someone to just give it to them the natural way, I'm available.

[MaachaQ]

there's a vaccination for chicken pox?

My kids both got the vaccination, but one of them ended up catching chicken pox anyway. It was much milder than it normally would have been though, he got better much quicker than I remember from when I had it as a kid. I'll probably have them both (a boy and a girl) get the HPV vaccine when they're a bit older too. Anti-vax people are stupid and deserve to catch the deadly diseases that the modern world has largely eradicated, but by them catching all these bad bugs, they're also risking passing it on to children too young or immuno-deficient to be able to be vaccinated. You can't cure stupid though, you can only hope they die before they breed and pass it on.

[archibaldcrane]

Bill Gates almost has polio completely wiped out right?

[Ghost_Wheel22]

I had my Whooping Cough shot when I was a baby and managed to get it last year at a fire camp. Too bad I didn't know what I had until I was outside antibiotic treatments and have a solid 6 months of Cough -> Wheeze -> Puke. A year later I still have a noticeably decreased lung capacity and colds instantly go for the throat/lungs and kick my ass.

Shit is not cool as an adult, give your kids the shots.

[Churchill]

You should get Anthrax shots, those are awesome and feel great (lol)

Seriously though, I haven't been sick in 7 years. A runny nose because it's cold out and I've been outside in 10-40* temps for a few days or some shit like that withstanding, I haven't been sick.

[Not Kuno]

Not surprised that people are retarded.

Although I had to get a tetanus shot a year or two ago and I had a really nasty reaction to it. Oh man I felt like I was going to die a thousand deaths. Then a few days later I was completely OK again. Tetanus shot also sucks cause it only lasts for like 10 years. I never understood how a vaccination can wear off. Fucking immunology how does it work.

[kuronosan]

Do you want the short story?

[Celeste]

I had the chicken pox when I was a toddler. Rest of my siblings had it when they were much older. Hilarious that these lollipop parties are actually being considered. Idiotic rednecks and such.