By posting a message on the Reddit social network, Ethan Lindenberger, a young American now aged 18, had no idea how much he would be talked about in the weeks that followed. On the Frequently Asked Questions page, he asks Internet users if it is possible to to get vaccinated without the consent of his parents. The young boy has in fact not been vaccinated against any disease, because his mother is convinced that the injections will make him autistic. However, if vaccines are theoretically compulsory in the United States to go to school, 47 of the 50 states (including that of Ohio, where he resides) authorize exemptions for “personal”, “philosophical” or “religious reasons. “.
18 years old without vaccine
This simple question on Reddit will spark so many reactions, that the adolescent will be interviewed multiple times. A notoriety which earned him to be invited to the American Congress to give his testimony. “I grew up with a mother who believed vaccines are dangerous because of what she reads on the internet”, testified the high school student Tuesday before members of Congress, alongside experts and a public health official.
For his part, the teenager gets information from the health authorities: “I never wanted to do anything behind her mother’s back, but I became convinced that vaccination was the best choice for me and those around me. For example, if I get whooping cough I will have it without doubts enough immune defenses to fight the disease but what will happen if I pass it on to my 2 year old little sister “ ?
Note that since he was 18, he has been vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, the flu, tetanus and polio, measles and papillomavirus.
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