Read up on what happened in the early 1900s when a diphtheria antitoxin was contaminated with tetanus and killed nine kids. It happened soon thereafter with a smallpox vaccine also with tetanus in New Jersey. Joseph Pulitzer led a misinformation campaign against vaccines. (Yes, that Pulitzer.) Politicians and others were fearful of vaccinating. It was a mess.
This happened again in the 1950s with the Cutter incident. Again in 1977 with the swine flu vaccine “fiasco.” Again in the 1980s with the “Vaccine Roulette” documentary.
Time and time again, something happens or someone says something that turns almost everyone against vaccines. Then we, the people, correct course.
Unfortunately, children (mostly poor and minoritized children) suffer the consequences of such incidents and accidents.
So we’ll do the dance again and see kids die from vaccine preventable diseases. And we in public health will fight for them, because that’s who we are. Until a privileged child from a privileged family with a line to the Dear Leaders is hurt, and we’ll be ordered to correct the course. Again.