6 March

Saw this last night, and after having whooping cough last year (and still getting over it) it struck a nerve. We're maybe making the same mistake with vaccines as we did with antibiotics. We set up these extreme positions, of all vaccines are bad versus vaccines will save us. And the truth is not at either of those extremes. The pertussis vaccine for example is failing, it's really puzzling to researchers. It will likely still save a baby's life, but it increasingly won't stop people getting the disease. The 'debate' has degenerated into the righteous extremes of pro-vax and anti-vax. Antibiotics used to be the common sense thing to use, now they're becoming useless. Vaccines may go the same way if we don't stop moralising and start thinking instead.