Letter from a Gig Harbor pediatrician: How he handled families who refused vaccinations

Pediatrician office’s vaccine policy

To the editor,

I am a recently retired pediatrician whose Gig Harbor office administered literally hundreds of thousands of immunizations over the past 35 years. We were continually dealing with both vaccine hesitant and anti-vax families. In 2017, our office adopted a vaccine policy addressing the community issues involved with a family deciding not to vaccinate their child for airborne diseases such as measles and pertussis. These illnesses, similar to Covid, could provide a risk to anyone, but especially newborns and immunosuppressed patients in our waiting room. The policy asked these families, if they continually refused vaccination, to find another pediatric practice. Although about 30 families left the practice, the vast majority of families chose to fully vaccinate their children. What was more surprising was the overwhelmingly positive response of the families that remained. They continually thanked us and the policy became a positive factor drawing new families to the practice.

To have even this minority of people reject the potentially life saving routine vaccines and now Covid vaccines, is difficult to understand. The Covid vaccines have been successfully given and proven effective in hundreds of millions of Americans. They are certainly safer than getting the disease with its potential complications or death.

As a Christian, I find this vaccine refusal even more difficult to comprehend. No Christian denomination has objected to this vaccine. In fact Christ’s healings and teachings of concern for others and for the community at large should compel us to get and encourage others to receive the vaccine and to mask when appropriate.

The majority of our state and country understand that with having rights also come responsibilities. Unfortunately, the minority of people, however sincere in their beliefs and “religious” rights, by seeking this exemption are only putting themselves, their families, their friends, co-workers and community at risk and prolonging this pandemic.

Tom Herron, MD

Gig Harbor

This story was originally published September 24, 2021 at 5:00 AM.