With an alarmingly increasing number of measles cases in children being reported across the country, a Rochester, New York, pediatrician's office has decided to take a bold stand against the anti-vax movement. Staff members from the Legacy Pediatrics practice stirred up support online after they posed in a group picture wearing T-shirts with the clear message "Vaccines Cause Adults" printed on the front. Although some people online are condemning the medical professionals for wearing their opinions so freely, these women argue that they want to be the voice for a cause they know is right.
The idea came from a physician's assistant at the practice who saw a meme with the same message being passed around online.
Kate Shand, a PA at Legacy Pediatrics, told reporters that the idea for these brilliant shirts came from seeing the message "Vaccines Cause Adults" being spread online in a meme, according to ABC 13 WHAM,Â
âThe anti-vaccine movement has such a voice that the pro-vaccine movement needs to,â Shand said. That is why Shand and six of her colleagues decided to make shirts out of the meme and pose for a photo they shared on Facebook.
Shand explained that the post had reached 17,000 people and despite the potentially controversial message, it's been positively received online.
Speaking of the shirts' cheeky message, Shand explained that âItâs kind of a play on vaccines cause autism, which they do not. They cause adults,â she said. âHealthy kids get vaccinated and grow into adulthood and be healthy adults.â
A Rochester-owned company,  Crazy Dog T-Shirts, printed the shirts after owner Bill Kingston realized the impact these shirts could make.Â
âThe whole staff wore the shirts and they were incredibly popular,â Kingston explained."[Shand] called me and told me everyone wants these T-shirts. Theyâre great. We put our heads together and thought maybe this can be a voice for the people on the vaccination side.â
Ultimately, the staff feels that something needs to be done about the growing number of sick kids and took took a clear stand for stopping it: vaccines.
âKids are getting sick from vaccine-preventable illnesses, which shouldn't happen in 2019,â said pediatrician Dr. Janet Casey. "One of the things thatâs so important for pediatricians and other healthcare givers is to get out there and make it as loud a message as possible that vaccines save lives.â
The pediatric office plans to sell the shirts at its location and said that it will donate all of the proceeds to countries with limited access to vaccines.
