As best I can tell, in Texas (as in Ontario, Canada) the "centers" of infection are in religious communities who are unlikely to be reading Andrew Wakefield. I don't mean to defend their viewpoint on this, but their antipathy to modern medicine precedes Andrew Wakefield by centuries...
The outbreak in Ontario (which seems to have more reported cases than Texas) is largely among Amish and Mennonites. As best I can tell the outbreak in Ontario first occurred among Mennonites.
I don't have personal contacts among the Amish or old order Mennonites, but I do know Mennonites who are vaxxed, so this agrees with the link you sent and your statement above that vaccination is not prohibited by religion among the Mennonites, and I have read that the same is true of the Amish.
I've read that Amish have some religious beliefs that make opposition to vaccines and many other medical interventions "bad in the eyes of God". I've been told that this is also true of some Mennonite sects by a person who was raised in over of these sects.
I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised to hear that Mennonites are using "scientific-ish" arguments like Wakefield to justify their beliefs, but having poked around the internet a bit more, I see that you are right about this.
Anyway, thanks for your remarks on this, I think they have improved my understanding of this. (BTW, I worked as a vaccine researcher for a time, so I am pro-vax, and am mystified as too why am obviously poor study like Wakefield's got any traction).
As best I can tell, in Texas (as in Ontario, Canada) the "centers" of infection are in religious communities who are unlikely to be reading Andrew Wakefield. I don't mean to defend their viewpoint on this, but their antipathy to modern medicine precedes Andrew Wakefield by centuries...
They are Mennonites, not Amish, so have access to Wakefield. And they are not against vaccination because of any religious belief. https://www.mennoniteusa.org/menno-snapshots/measles/
The outbreak in Ontario (which seems to have more reported cases than Texas) is largely among Amish and Mennonites. As best I can tell the outbreak in Ontario first occurred among Mennonites.
I don't have personal contacts among the Amish or old order Mennonites, but I do know Mennonites who are vaxxed, so this agrees with the link you sent and your statement above that vaccination is not prohibited by religion among the Mennonites, and I have read that the same is true of the Amish.
I've read that Amish have some religious beliefs that make opposition to vaccines and many other medical interventions "bad in the eyes of God". I've been told that this is also true of some Mennonite sects by a person who was raised in over of these sects.
I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised to hear that Mennonites are using "scientific-ish" arguments like Wakefield to justify their beliefs, but having poked around the internet a bit more, I see that you are right about this.
Anyway, thanks for your remarks on this, I think they have improved my understanding of this. (BTW, I worked as a vaccine researcher for a time, so I am pro-vax, and am mystified as too why am obviously poor study like Wakefield's got any traction).