While I try to be tolerant of all people’s beliefs even if I disagree with them, I really can’t abide by abject stupidity. Anti-vaxxers, for instance, put their own children as well as everyone else’s in danger because some weirdo “news” site told them vaccines cause autism. As if that behavior wasn’t harmful enough, one mom decided to take things one INSANE step further by handing out chickenpox-infected lollipops on Halloween in what she claimed was a bid to boost kids’ immunity.
- Ummm… WHAT?! No seriously, WHAT? Who does that?! On Wednesday, an Australian woman who goes by Sarah Walker RN on Facebook posted in a private group called “Stop Mandatory Vaccination” that her son had recently contracted chickenpox so she decided to give the trick-or-treaters coming to her house lollipops that had been tainted with the child’s germs. Yikes!
- She believed she was helping other kids. “So my beautiful son has the chickenpox at the moment and we’ve both decided to help others with natural immunity this Halloween!” the mom wrote. “We have the packaging opening and closing down pat and can’t wait to help others in our community. If anyone else would like some for their children [I’m] happy to send via post for $1 plus postage to your location.”
- People were understandably outraged. Walker’s post was shared on Light For Riley, a Facebook group that hopes to help protect “babies & families from vaccine-preventable diseases” in honor of Riley Hughes, a baby who died from whooping cough back in 2015. The response was understandably intense, with the poster writing, “Have you ever seen something that instantaneously makes your skin crawl?”
- There’s no way this woman is a real nurse… right? The fact that the woman in question has her name listed as “Sarah Walker RN” insinuates that she’s a registered nurse, which many people find hard to believe. After all, working in the medical profession, you must surely realize the importance of vaccinating your children, right? She’s listed herself as an employee at Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, but Queensland Health, the hospital’s parent company, says she’s never worked there and that the hospital in question is actually in Melbourne. In other words, “Sarah Walker RN” is a liar.
- The woman is being investigated by police. The actual Royal Children’s hospital posted a statement on Facebook revealing that no one by the name Sarah Walker had ever been employed by them and that they’re taking the impersonation seriously by referring the matter to police for further investigation.
- She actually defended her choices. According to The Hill, the woman returned to Facebook to post a follow-up statement after her actions went viral, writing, “You think you’re right by judging me and my trying to report me and get me fired. I don’t care. The health and wellbeing of my baby is far more valuable than any job.” She added: “I’m offering life long immunity for the price of a couple of blisters and a few days off school.”
- Thankfully, kids aren’t likely to be in any danger. Authorities say that even if this really did happen, the chances of a child contracting chickenpox from the lollipops is pretty slim as the virus can’t survive on surfaces. Nevertheless, this woman needs to be charged because this behavior is despicable.
