Parents who are afraid of vaccinations are apparently making deals with like-minded parents who “mail them lollipops licked by children with chickenpox,” according to the Daily News. The idea is that the uninfected kid will lick the lollipop and get pox on his or her own schedule. But there are some problems: Aside from the fact that this is idiotic (not to mention a waste of perfectly good lollipops), it’s also illegal.
Oh, and also, from a scientific standpoint, “it’s probably not an effective way to transmit” the disease, according to one pediatric specialist. Then again, people who are seriously considering doing this instead of just taking their kid to the doctor and getting a shot probably aren’t interested in things like “science.” Or “facts.” Or “reality.”
Vaccine-wary parents warned against sending ‘chicken pox lollipops’ through the mail [NYDN]
