EDITOR,

I read with interest Sam Matthews’ comments about the swine flu vaccinations (“Spinning the swine flu conspiracy,” Page 2, Jan. 16), as well as Ms. Margaret Edwards’ rather radical feelings about the same (“Don’t buy into the ‘expert’ opinion,” Your Voice, Jan. 23). I wonder if Ms. Edwards has or has had children in the public school system, or if she has traveled much to foreign countries? For either of these activities, she may have had to have vaccinations for herself or her kids.

Has Ms. Edwards ever wondered why her kids or others haven’t had whooping cough, diphtheria, polio or other childhood diseases to which children are notoriously vulnerable? Does she know why many such diseases are no longer such terrible threats? She is probably not old enough to remember the large rooms filled with patients in iron lungs being treated for polio. My wife worked as a student nurse in a polio ward.

Does Ms. Edwards know that, through the tremendous efforts of the World Health Organization and many years of campaigning sponsored by Rotary International, polio has almost been eradicated from the world?

How has this been accomplished? By vaccinations.

When she suggests that the swine flu vaccination program is a plot to reduce the world population, perhaps the reverse is true. Maybe those who oppose vaccination are expecting worldwide epidemics to reduce the population. Remember what “Pogo” said? “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”

Our elected officials are elected by us. Through them and our medical experts, we are being protected not only from physical attack, but also from disease. Is their effort perfect? Not by a long shot, but we have some mighty fine people working on our behalf.

Is there some degree of danger in any vaccination? Yes, but the danger of rampant infection is far greater.

Hundreds of thousands have died due to epidemics, but all the evidence points to many millions being saved by vaccinations.