Plague Inc adds anti-vaxxers following community petition

[William Gayde]

Something to look forward to: Plague Inc, the game where players try to infect the world with their disease, has announced that they will be adding anti-vaxxers to the gameplay. It's not clear what form this new feature will take, but it will likely be a special scenario with much lower difficulty.

Anti-Vaxxers are a fringe movement of people who deny the overwhelming science surrounding vaccines in favor of a more natural approach to disease prevention. As any doctor would tell you, this is of course very foolish and threatens the health of everyone involved. That is exactly what the players and developers of Plague Inc were looking for, though, in their morbid game.

In the disease simulation game, players can choose different traits for their disease to make it as deadly as possible. This includes what symptoms it shows, how it spreads, and how easily it can be prevented.

This feature request started as a petition by the community and has since gained more than 20,000 followers. The developers had agreed to act on the petition if it gained more than 10,000 signatures. In response to the petition, the developers, Ndemic Creations, stated that they were "going to start figuring out anti-vaxxers soon. [We are] dying to try and get inside their heads."

Ndemic has previously added a science denial scenario, but that was based on countries banning scientists, not people choosing to ignore science.

For now, the scenario has only been confirmed for the mobile version of the game. It's not clear yet if it will also be coming to the PC version, called Plague Inc: Evolved. The two platforms generally feature the same content, so it's likely that the scenario will also come to PC.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/78976-plague-inc-adds-anti-vaxxers-following-community-petition.html

 

[EEatGDL]

Haha, that's funny. I have the game in both phone and PC, quite educative.

 

[avioza]

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

 

[Bjorntje]

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

It is completely without merit when there is absolutely no scientific evidence to these claims...

 

[wiyosaya]

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

It is completely without merit when there is absolutely no scientific evidence to these claims...

Calling on this one.

Go to the US CDC web site. Look up the MMR vaccine. Note that there are potential side effects including brain damage and death. Those statements are based on the vaccine trials and IS scientific evidence which amounts to a basis for the claims.

People who laugh it off and claim there is no evidence have not done their research, IMO.

 

[wiyosaya]

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

Someone who gets it.

 

[OutlawCecil]

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

Someone who gets it.

you are 100% correct here. We should have a screening process of some kind, but in the end... your odds of having an allergic reaction are far less then managing to avoid the thing your getting vaccinated for. Furthermore, you're gambling that those around you will be vaccinated so the more people who choose not to make the risk skyrocket further.

 

[Squid Surprise]

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

While there are side effects to some vaccines, they are very rare and are generally far preferable than getting the actual disease....
And while this might be valid reasoning, the majority of anti-vaxxers do NOT hold to this reasoning.... most people who don’t vaccinate either a) don’t believe in the science (and are id1ots) or b) are religiously against vaccinations (and are id1ots).

 

[Mr Majestyk]

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

Well I’m glad you sort of think it’s wise to vaccinate, it’s good to have expert opinion on the matter.

Anti-vaxxers are scum, watching infants nearly die of things like whooping cough a horrendous disease, is gut wrenching. Anti-vaxxers should have their children removed from them. There’s always a crack pot so-called expert that these mororns latch on to. Funny how they feel the need to find someone that can discredit medicine or science. The opinion of one outweighs the research of hundreds of thousands of scientists work over a century.

Thanks to anti-vaxxer scum Minnesota is in the middle of a huge measles epidemic with vacination rates down to around 74%. You need at least 95% for herd protection, but the insane misinformation of the anti-vaxxers has now created a very dangerous situation and puts everyone at risk.

 

[Burty117]

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

Someone who gets it.

Have either of you taken Aspirin before? Any kind of pain killer in fact? Ever read about the side effects you CAN have on those? Notice the emphasis on CAN, I'll grab the packet now and list the side effects:

-Heartburn
-Skin Rash
- Sh*t Blood
- Bleeding on the Brain that can cause a stroke

You see what I'm getting at here?

 

[Drew Valadez]

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

I took a biology class, the teach was very much a proponent of vaccines but she was saying the skepticism is good, to a degree, because having the public paying attention to the companies making these vaccines holds them accountable into making sure they have their ducks in a row.

A doctor I worked with also said that the somewhat positive to this is they have reduced the amount of organisms that are in each dose to only necessary ones.

I took bio a long time ago, so I appologize for the lack of proper terms.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Have either of you taken Aspirin before? Any kind of pain killer in fact? Ever read about the side effects you CAN have on those? Notice the emphasis on CAN, I'll grab the packet now and list the side effects:

-Heartburn
-Skin Rash
- Sh*t Blood
- Bleeding on the Brain that can cause a stroke

You see what I'm getting at here?

Yeah.... and yet we still sell them and millions don’t suffer because of it... by law, any reported side effect must be put on the bottle - even if it’s one person in a million...
There’s ALWAYS a chance medication can have side effects - but there’s risk in everything!! You have a better chance of being stung to death by bees, however, than you do of dying from taking 2 Aspirins...

 

[wiyosaya]

Have either of you taken Aspirin before? Any kind of pain killer in fact? Ever read about the side effects you CAN have on those? Notice the emphasis on CAN, I'll grab the packet now and list the side effects:

-Heartburn
-Skin Rash
- Sh*t Blood
- Bleeding on the Brain that can cause a stroke

You see what I'm getting at here?

And did your mommy tell you that crossing the street without looking both ways is a risk?

See what I am getting at here?

I don't take painkillers. The ONLY medication that I take is insulin.

 

[wiyosaya]

I took a biology class, the teach was very much a proponent of vaccines but she was saying the skepticism is good, to a degree, because having the public paying attention to the companies making these vaccines holds them accountable into making sure they have their ducks in a row.

A doctor I worked with also said that the somewhat positive to this is they have reduced the amount of organisms that are in each dose to only necessary ones.

I took bio a long time ago, so I appologize for the lack of proper terms.

The debate about it must happen. It is the only way that things improve.

So all of you advocating that everyone get vaccinated, are you all saying that we should simply accept that it is OK for that rare someone to die from a reaction?

What if that rare someone is a loved one of yours? Is it still OK then?

Since most in this thread are all on the same page that some can and do die from vaccinations, I think its a valid question.

 

[captaincranky]

Have either of you taken Aspirin before? Any kind of pain killer in fact? Ever read about the side effects you CAN have on those? Notice the emphasis on CAN, I'll grab the packet now and list the side effects:

-Heartburn
-Skin Rash
- Sh*t Blood
- Bleeding on the Brain that can cause a stroke

You see what I'm getting at here?

- Believe it or not acetomenophin (most common brand "Tylenol" is more dangerous that aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). This is because the overdose level is much closer to the therapeutic dose than it is with aspirin. People figure is "2 will dampen pain, then 4 will eliminate it, and kidney damage can ensue with prolonged exposure.

While aspirin absolutely causes indigestion, it's danger lies in the fact it is a blood thinner, which effects can be quite pronounced in people already taking "Warfarin", the most commonly used and prescribed blood thinner available. "INR" & PT (prothrombin time = time to clot), numbers shoot up out of control rather rapidly when aspirin is introduced. The same holds true for the newer "NSAIDs" (non steroidal anti inflammatory) class of pain killing drugs.

As for aspirin causing "bleeding on the brain", IMHO, there would have to be a preexisting condition to bring that about. Or otherwise, some fool was popping them like they were M & Ms.

 

[wiyosaya]

Another statistic is that at least one study suggests that medical mistakes are one of the leading causes of death in the US.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/new...rs_now_third_leading_cause_of_death_in_the_us

 

[captaincranky]

As far as anti vaxxers go, if a sizable portion of the population is inoculated against something as potentially lethal as whooping coufd, then let those anti vaxxers get together at monthly meetings and bring their infected children along. That way, there'll be less of a next generation to argue with.

Hey, like the old car ad used to say, "you asked for it, you got it, Toyota"..

 

[captaincranky]

Another statistic is that at least one study suggests that medical mistakes are one of the leading causes of death in the US.

Well you already know how I feel about that:

 

[gamerdood]

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

From what I understand the anti vaxxers (most) are concerned with allergic reactions to the agent (Aluminum or other material) that causes the immune system response necessary to transfer immunity from inert viruses.

It is a real thing and there is no interest in developing a screening process for children to determine if they may have an allergy.

Is it statistically wise to not vaccinate... I don't think so. But to call their line of reasoning is not completely without merit.

Well I’m glad you sort of think it’s wise to vaccinate, it’s good to have expert opinion on the matter.

Anti-vaxxers are scum, watching infants nearly die of things like whooping cough a horrendous disease, is gut wrenching. Anti-vaxxers should have their children removed from them. There’s always a crack pot so-called expert that these mororns latch on to. Funny how they feel the need to find someone that can discredit medicine or science. The opinion of one outweighs the research of hundreds of thousands of scientists work over a century.

Thanks to anti-vaxxer scum Minnesota is in the middle of a huge measles epidemic with vacination rates down to around 74%. You need at least 95% for herd protection, but the insane misinformation of the anti-vaxxers has now created a very dangerous situation and puts everyone at risk.

I was born on Long Island, NY in 1973... fully vaxed I had 8 shots total (have the paperwork to prove it)... according to today's standards, I'm not even "fully vaccinated"... I think what happens is, parents nowadays see, what, 60+ shots by 16 according to the CDC, and if that doesn't make a parent take pause, I don't know what would. A lot of the things in the require regimen are far from life threatening and more convenience than anything. What's going to be the number 5-10 years from now after they keep adding more and more to the recommended list?

And if you think this is reason enough to have their children removed from them (wow)... I trust you feel the same way about all these parents transitioning their kids genders at 3 and 4 years old? And also the ones parading their kids around as drag queens at like 9 and 10?

 

[treetops]

I know someone who did not vaccinate.... From what I gathered he was worried it caused autism. And was suspicious of what the government might be putting in vaccines. I consider him one of the most rationale people I know, but couldn't fathom his decision. Maybe his wife played a part he did not want to disclose.

If everyone vaccinated eventually some of these diseases would be completely eradicated. In turn future generations would not have to vaccinate. I consider it selfish, wreck less and foolish to not vaccinate. Less then 10 miles from where he lives a measles outbreak occurred in 2016. Luckily his children weren't exposed.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/new...-measles-outbreak-grows-22-infected/86637292/

The debate about it must happen. It is the only way that things improve.

So all of you advocating that everyone get vaccinated, are you all saying that we should simply accept that it is OK for that rare someone to die from a reaction?

What if that rare someone is a loved one of yours? Is it still OK then?

Since most in this thread are all on the same page that some can and do die from vaccinations, I think its a valid question.

Small pox has been eradicated and people no longer need to get vaccines. It only exists in laboratories. Do I really have to explain the risk\reward of vaccinations? Are you going to be so cowardly and selfish for your child at the cost of hundreds, thousands, millions or billions of lives? If people keep these preventable diseases alive, the diseases and the vaccines will continue to kill people until humanity ceases to exist.
https://g.co/kgs/Qb7B2d

p.s. as it stand what was it 30% of the populations believes everything they see on facebook is real, so I doubt will see a eradication of any disease ever again barring some insane catastrophe

p.s.s.

 

[JB3543]

The anti-vaxxers serve the same purpose as the flat-earthers: Giving people who need a self-esteem boost a little matter with which they can feel better about themselves. So there is a self-sustaining market for both groups - The people who need that little boost just won't let them go. And they talk and talk and talk about them. Like they need them, or something...

 

[wiyosaya]

Well I’m glad you sort of think it’s wise to vaccinate, it’s good to have expert opinion on the matter.

Anti-vaxxers are scum, watching infants nearly die of things like whooping cough a horrendous disease, is gut wrenching. Anti-vaxxers should have their children removed from them. There’s always a crack pot so-called expert that these mororns latch on to. Funny how they feel the need to find someone that can discredit medicine or science. The opinion of one outweighs the research of hundreds of thousands of scientists work over a century.

Thanks to anti-vaxxer scum Minnesota is in the middle of a huge measles epidemic with vacination rates down to around 74%. You need at least 95% for herd protection, but the insane misinformation of the anti-vaxxers has now created a very dangerous situation and puts everyone at risk.

For someone talking about people spreading a lot of false information, this post sure is doing so.

1. There is no evidence of a measles outbreak in Minnesota in 2019. There was one in 2017, but no deaths. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6627a1.htm There were 65 cases confirmed, no deaths, and they were largely limited to those who were not vaccinated.
2. It looks like good scientific evidence of the effectiveness of the pertussis vaccine is not readily available - https://www.nvic.org/vaccines-and-diseases/whooping-cough/vaccine-effectiveness.aspx Indications are that the immunity does not last, and
It sounds like the disease is mutating - https://www.cambridge.org/core/jour...he-same-coin/2C4624385819C751F0C4E9448D4ABF04

That does not surprise me because it is a bacterial disease - and I am sure that you are familiar with the fact that use of antibiotics against bacteria have caused serious mutations of bacterial strains such that the mutated strains have, themselves, developed immunity to antibiotics.

I sincerely hope that you do not encounter such a strain in your life. In this case, medicine has arguably made things worse.

 

[wiyosaya]

I know someone who did not vaccinate.... From what I gathered he was worried it caused autism. And was suspicious of what the government might be putting in vaccines. I consider him one of the most rationale people I know, but couldn't fathom his decision. Maybe his wife played a part he did not want to disclose.

If everyone vaccinated eventually some of these diseases would be completely eradicated. In turn future generations would not have to vaccinate. I consider it selfish, wreck less and foolish to not vaccinate. Less then 10 miles from where he lives a measles outbreak occurred in 2016. Luckily his children weren't exposed.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/new...-measles-outbreak-grows-22-infected/86637292/

The debate about it must happen. It is the only way that things improve.

So all of you advocating that everyone get vaccinated, are you all saying that we should simply accept that it is OK for that rare someone to die from a reaction?

What if that rare someone is a loved one of yours? Is it still OK then?

Since most in this thread are all on the same page that some can and do die from vaccinations, I think its a valid question.

Small pox has been eradicated and people no longer need to get vaccines. It only exists in laboratories. Do I really have to explain the risk\reward of vaccinations? Are you going to be so cowardly and selfish for your child at the cost of hundreds, thousands, millions or billions of lives? If people keep these preventable diseases alive, the diseases and the vaccines will continue to kill people until humanity ceases to exist.
https://g.co/kgs/Qb7B2d

p.s. as it stand what was it 30% of the populations believes everything they see on facebook is real, so I doubt will see a eradication of any disease ever again barring some insane catastrophe

p.s.s.

Sounds like your friend took the crap shoot and came out ahead - this time.

I appreciate your opinion, however, in some cases, for instance, whooping cough, medicine may be chasing its tail if not making things worse. See my post above

I'm not saying that humanity should not try, however, the unexpected, I.e., whatever it is humanity is trying to eradicate - especially in the bacterial arena, has happened. Bacteria seem to have an uncanny ability to quickly adapt to threats.

Like I said in my post above, I sincerely hope you never meet a strain of antibiotic resistant bacteria. In that case, your righteous rage will have to be directed at medicine itself.

 

[treetops]

Sounds like your friend took the crap shoot and came out ahead - this time.

I appreciate your opinion, however, in some cases, for instance, whooping cough, medicine may be chasing its tail if not making things worse. See my post above

I'm not saying that humanity should not try, however, the unexpected, I.e., whatever it is humanity is trying to eradicate - especially in the bacterial arena, has happened. Bacteria seem to have an uncanny ability to quickly adapt to threats.

Like I said in my post above, I sincerely hope you never meet a strain of antibiotic resistant bacteria. In that case, your righteous rage will have to be directed at medicine itself.

If everyone vaccinated eventually some of these diseases would be completely eradicated.

The key word is some.

Polio vaccine 99% to 100% effective.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/polio/hcp/effectiveness-duration-protection.html

I haven't researched every vaccine but some are a no brainer. That was my intended focus. I read your the article you posted. I thought it was interesting. Then I looked around and the entire site seems to be dedicated against vaccines. I don't see any information at all recommending vaccination in any form. They do not even list the effectiveness of vaccines on their vaccine list.

Polio
https://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases/Polio-SV40.aspx

If I had children I would research every vaccine. The CDC conflicts with that site about Pertussis. The CDC does not say anywhere that it has reacted to vaccines and adapted. And nowhere on the site that you listed does it say vaccines made it resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotics made it resistant to antibiotics.... I don't know why you even brought that up.

I went through one of the works cited from that article and it only theorizes that vaccines may have caused it to change. But has no proof. It seems like a valid theory in that instance but has not been proven in any way shape or form.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2631860/pdf/11485646.pdf

I would read all the works cited if I had children. But here are some flat facts to consider.

CDC
Before pertussis vaccines became widely available in the 1940s, about 200,000 children got sick with it each year in the United States and about 9,000 died as a result of the infection. Now we see about 10,000 to 40,000 cases reported each year and unfortunately up to 20 deaths.
https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/about/faqs.html

Even more troubling this website gives zero information on the eradication of small pox.... On the only information they have about small pox..... You had me excited there for a second, but I think I'll get back in my spaceship.
https://www.nvic.org/Vaccines-and-Diseases/Smallpox.aspx

 

[Burty117]

Yeah.... and yet we still sell them and millions don’t suffer because of it... by law, any reported side effect must be put on the bottle - even if it’s one person in a million...
There’s ALWAYS a chance medication can have side effects - but there’s risk in everything!! You have a better chance of being stung to death by bees, however, than you do of dying from taking 2 Aspirins...

And did your mommy tell you that crossing the street without looking both ways is a risk?

See what I am getting at here?

I don't take painkillers. The ONLY medication that I take is insulin.

- Believe it or not acetomenophin (most common brand "Tylenol" is more dangerous that aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). This is because the overdose level is much closer to the therapeutic dose than it is with aspirin. People figure is "2 will dampen pain, then 4 will eliminate it, and kidney damage can ensue with prolonged exposure.

While aspirin absolutely causes indigestion, it's danger lies in the fact it is a blood thinner, which effects can be quite pronounced in people already taking "Warfarin", the most commonly used and prescribed blood thinner available. "INR" & PT (prothrombin time = time to clot), numbers shoot up out of control rather rapidly when aspirin is introduced. The same holds true for the newer "NSAIDs" (non steroidal anti inflammatory) class of pain killing drugs.

As for aspirin causing "bleeding on the brain", IMHO, there would have to be a preexisting condition to bring that about. Or otherwise, some fool was popping them like they were M & Ms.

OK, I think all of you didn't read my comment properly, I guess sarcasm is harder to pickup over a comment section but I was taking the p*ss out of anti-vaxxers. My entire point was that even the most mundain pain killers have side effects, stop crying about vaccinations.

Instead, you all thought I was being serious...