Queensland anti-vaccination supporter holding ‘chickenpox parties’ for children
Anti-vaxxer and mother-of-two Hollie Singleton has advertised via a Facebook anti-vaccination group the opportunity to infect other children with the highly contagious disease.
“My son has a full case of chickenpox. We are all home together for the week,” she wrote.
“If anyone wants to clear this bug now and get it over with please come to Brisbane and visit us. We are here to infect only those who want it!”
‘Chickenpox parties’ were a more common occurrence last century before a vaccine was developed.
The social media post was met with inquiries about meeting up.
There was also a comment from a woman who said her children already been through chickenpox and she was 'waiting for a measles outbreak lol'.
Chickenpox vaccines have been part of the childhood immunisation regime since late 2005.
Latest figures released from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register show 90.9 per cent of 18-month-old children were vaccinated against chickenpox.
Ms Singleton told The Sunday Mail the timing of her sons’ chickenpox discouraged people from visiting as they didn’t want their children to be ill over Christmas.
“I had a number of people who were interested if the timing was different,” she said.
She said it was 'the way things were done in the past' and she had no concerns that chickenpox can be fatal.
The incubation period for chickenpox is around 10-21 days.
New laws will come into play next month that will stop parents of unvaccinated children accessing childcare rebates and child care centres being able to refuse unvaccinated children entry.
A Queensland Health spokeswoman told The Sunday Mail choosing to remain unvaccinated can have serious consequences.
“Infection with varicella (chickenpox) can result in serious complications, hospitalisations and even death.
The benefits of vaccination far outweigh those of infection with a vaccine preventable disease,” the Queensland Health spokeswoman stated.
NEWS BREAK DECEMBER 13
