Ever since the measles outbreak in Disneyland, there has been a determined effort by legislators in California, to repeal the state’s current vaccine exemptions. If they succeed, the only way parents can skip their children’s vaccinations, is if there is an acceptable medical reason. As you can imagine, those who are deeply concerned over the safety and efficacy of vaccines have every reason to fear these developments.
Or do they?
Well, yes and no. No in the sense that I don’t think we are headed towards a future that forces everyone to take the jab, but the answer will likely be yes for folks who don’t have a lot of disposable income. For reasons that I will explain below, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will always be a way to avoid vaccinations for you and your family. However, it’s going to cost you.
For instance, take California’s proposed vaccine law. It doesn’t provide any harsh punishment for failing to vaccinate your children. All it says is that your child can’t attend school without the required vaccines. It doesn’t say anything about homeschooling. If you can afford to hire a personal tutor for your kids, or you make enough money to let your spouse stay home, then you can avoid this altogether.
I suspect this might become a new trend, and it won’t be restricted to the United States. In Australia, the government recently stated that if any family refuses to vaccinate their children, they will be denied medical benefits to the tune of $11,400. For a low-income family that’s a huge hit, but for the upper class that’s just a drop in the bucket.