Kentucky Governor Intentionally Infected Kids With Chickenpox: They ‘Were Miserable For Few Days’

Amid massive clamor for mandatory vaccinations in the United States and a measles outbreak, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin has reportedly admitted to deliberately exposing his children to chicken pox instead of giving them the shots they need. Bevin has nine children, aged 5 to 16 years, all of whom he said had been exposed to somebody who had the disease as a way for them to be eventually immune to it.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Bevin found a neighbor who had chickenpox so he made sure that all his kids were exposed and got the virus. He said that his kids had chickenpox when they were young, and while they experienced discomfort for a few days, they turned out all right in the end.

He also added that he opposes required vaccinations for children, and parents should be given the choice to get it for their families or not. He feels that forcing it upon citizens is un-American.

Intentionally exposing kids to viruses and diseases is strongly discouraged as it could lead to more harm than good. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that vaccinations are more effective and safe options against illness. Purposely exposing kids, especially the young ones, to disease could be fatal. Chickenpox is a serious illness that can result in severe complications and death, even in children who are healthy. It’s not worth taking the chance of exposing them.

The issue takes spotlight after a declared chickenpox outbreak at a Catholic school in Kentucky recently, where there are families that chose not to have their children vaccinated. The school was shut down for a few days as authorities sought a way to deal with the outbreak.