WEST NILE VIRUS
This has been an extemely active season for the West Nile Virus in the United States. Across America, there have been more than 1400 cases reported this year. People are dying from being bitten from mosquitoes. Cities and counties have taken to the air to spray insecticide to kill them, but losing one life to this disease is one too many.
There is a vaccine for the West Nile Virus, that is very effective. In fact, last year, only 87 cases of equine West Nile Virus was reported. The government had been urging horse owners to vaccine. It worked. However, this year, there have been 187 cases of non-human cases reported.
Here is the question: if the vaccine works in horses, why can't humans be vaccinated? The answer: the pharmaceutical companies say it is not cost effective to market the vaccine to humans. We have lost 57 people in Texas to the disease. It is not cost effective. What is a human life worth?
Then, we hear that whooping cough is on the rise and people who are not at risk need to be vaccinated. Why? Do the pharmaceutical companies need the money? If those who are not at risk very rarely contract the disease, why spend the money on the vaccine? THEY CLAIM it is to prevent the disease in those we come in contact with. What about their vaccine? Won't their vaccine protect them? You would think. So I ask again, why would the pharmaceutical companies urge so many people to pay for the vaccine when they don't need it?
What are your thoughts?
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