Sir: I was alarmed to find a lengthy antivaccination screed by Steven Malthouse in your last edition (Dec.17th, 2020). While it is true that a few people have allergic reactions to vaccination and other injections, such reactions are very rare and they are the reason that recipients are first asked by the medical professional if they have had any reaction to previous injections, and also the reason recipients are asked to sit by for half an hour after the vaccine is administered to monitor for any negative reaction. On the other hand we have all benefited from vaccines against small pox, polio, measles, sundry flu viruses, and now from the covid 19 virus which currently holds our attention. Even those who have not been vaccinated benefit from the immunity of the rest of us who have received vaccines, as we do not then carry and spread the pathogen to others.
It was irresponsible that Steven Malthouse, who purports to be a medical doctor, argues in your publication against the benefits of vaccination. Fortunately he is no longer purveying his views from within our medical clinic.
Could you please enlighten all of us about your standards for acceptance of inserts into The Grapevine. Would you accept an insert which is racist or sexist or, as in this case, antiscientific? The insert in question here was not in our public interest.
Respectfully, Dr. Michael Dennis
