Living with a semi anti-vax husband.

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Hi all,

I have been a nurse for 11 years, my husband has recently become an anti-vaccine, stating he wants his immune system to be bale to build and fight off naturally. He needs his Tdap, and flu season is approaching. He did allow me to give him his flu vaccine last year. I am hopeful to get some recommendations how to explain the importance of vaccines. If he has the facts most time he will understand, I have tried explaining in multiple ways why. But he is still resistant. Any advice is appreciated. 

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Do you have want children, have children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews? Let him know that the Tdap will keep him from spreading a potentially deadly disease to them.

 

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Thanks for responding @Wuzzie yes we want children, his folks are 70. We have several nieces and nephews. This is a good point. Thank you. It's so hard I try to be understanding and present facts. He is easily influenced from his cousins which are anti-vaxxers and very burning manish, if you've heard of that. 

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Unless he's completely heartless I would hope he would never want to inflict the above on any child much less his own.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
23 minutes ago, reedy22 said:

Hi all,

I have been a nurse for 11 years, my husband has recently become an anti-vaccine, stating he wants his immune system to be bale to build and fight off naturally. He needs his Tdap, and flu season is approaching. He did allow me to give him his flu vaccine last year. I am hopeful to get some recommendations how to explain the importance of vaccines. If he has the facts most time he will understand, I have tried explaining in multiple ways why. But he is still resistant. Any advice is appreciated. 

I would point out to him that immunizations like the flu shot don't just give you immunity, they show your immune system what it needs to learn to be able to defend against, and then leaves it to your immune system to build itself. 

While a lot of things get called "homeopathic" these days, immunizations are about as close to true homeopathy these days, it's treating 'like-with-like' using a weakened version of the disease.

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1 hour ago, reedy22 said:

Hi all,

I have been a nurse for 11 years, my husband has recently become an anti-vaccine, stating he wants his immune system to be bale to build and fight off naturally. He needs his Tdap, and flu season is approaching. He did allow me to give him his flu vaccine last year. I am hopeful to get some recommendations how to explain the importance of vaccines. If he has the facts most time he will understand, I have tried explaining in multiple ways why. But he is still resistant. Any advice is appreciated. 

Does your husband really want his immune system to learn how to fight off tetorifice the natural way? How much does he understand about the various infections/diseases that vaccines protect us against? 

We get vaccines to protect ourselves and the people around us. Some of whom might not be able to build immunity themselves. Is that an argument that you think might help him view vaccines more favorably? Vaccines are simply put, generally a safer way to build immunity than having the infection. They certainly have a potential for side effects and only he can decide what he wants to do. However the ”side effects”/risks associated with having the infection the ”natural way” is in most cases higher and more serious. 

Here are some links that might give you some ideas on how you might try to explain why and how vaccines are beneficial. Perhaps they can be of help to you.  (I assume he doesn’t work in a healthcare profession? The links I’ve provided are on a pretty basic level). 

Many people who don’t work in healthcare might not know what the possible complications of a tetorifice infection are, and it they did I suspect most of them would like a regular booster shot. I’d also remind him/ explain to him (whichever applies) that even with vaccines it’s his own immune system doing the work. 

https://www.vaccines.gov/basics/work/prevention

https://www.vaccines.gov/basics/work/protection
 

https://www.CDC.gov/vaccines/hcp/conversations/downloads/vacsafe-understand-color-office.pdf

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdch/Waiver_Ed_Natural_Immunity_479884_7.pdf

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tetorifice/symptoms-causes/syc-20351625

 

Good luck!

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Specializes in OB.

I read something somewhere a long time ago (helpful, I know ?) saying that the most effective way to sway an anti-vaxxer is to show them pictures or videos of real kids afflicted by real, vaccine-preventable diseases, like Wuzzie linked to above.  The study showed that almost nothing else worked significantly.  

I've read other ideas about the origins of conspiracy theorists and how it often boils down to an innate desire to feel superior to others, as in "I'm so much smarter than everyone else, that's why I can see through the lies and they can't," etc.  Which of course, actually boils down to deep insecurities about one's own intelligence and abilities.  Not saying that's your hubs, but food for thought in terms of how you approach the topic.

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8 hours ago, reedy22 said:

Hi all,

I have been a nurse for 11 years, my husband has recently become an anti-vaccine, stating he wants his immune system to be bale to build and fight off naturally. He needs his Tdap, and flu season is approaching. He did allow me to give him his flu vaccine last year. I am hopeful to get some recommendations how to explain the importance of vaccines. If he has the facts most time he will understand, I have tried explaining in multiple ways why. But he is still resistant. Any advice is appreciated. 

He is a grown man, presumably a literate one. He either does not want to understand, or he does understand and just disagrees. Either way, I would stop playing "mommy" and let him be.

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Specializes in ED, med-surg, peri op.

Not an anti vaxer, but when it comes to adults that are generally fit and well I wouldn’t get to angry about it. Especially over a flu shot. And it’s not like we can travel right now. 

but this debate is something I would get sorted before having children if your own. 

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Specializes in Critical care.

Here is a link about a boy in New Zealand that contracted tetorifice. His family was anti-vax until they experienced first hand the consequences. This happened in 2012, but it’s a story I’ve never forgotten and like to share in these circumstances. 
 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10855638

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Pretty much what everyone else has said. Did he get the important vaccines when he was younger? Nothing like showing the damages of not getting vaccinated to get your point across.

I will say I am not going to be one of the first to get a covid vaccine though. 

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Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.
On 9/25/2020 at 12:52 PM, MunoRN said:

I would point out to him that immunizations like the flu shot don't just give you immunity, they show your immune system what it needs to learn to be able to defend against, and then leaves it to your immune system to build itself. 

While a lot of things get called "homeopathic" these days, immunizations are about as close to true homeopathy these days, it's treating 'like-with-like' using a weakened version of the disease.

I'm not sure I'd go the "flu shots are like homeopathy" route as homeopathy is a crock and flu shots aren't.  Flu shots aren't perfect but homeopathic meds are basically useless.

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