Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Elliot Zuckerberg shared a photograph of his daughter, five-week-old Max, and himself in a doctor’s office and in the process, sparked a debate about vaccinations.
The photo, which Zuckerberg shared on Friday, was posted to his personal Facebook page along with the caption, “Doctor’s visit — time for vaccines!”
On the social network that Zuckerberg co-founded, the photo received over 3 million “likes” and more than 29,000 shares.
One Facebook user chimed in with a comment in which they thanked the 31-year-old computer programmer for “being sensible.”
As someone with autism, with a son with autism, as someone who is constantly watching good people put their own children at serious risk because of old, fraudulent fears of vaccines and autism… thank you for being sensible. Thank you for doing what’s right and also for showing everyone else that it’s the right thing to do as well.
The user’s comment, which was posted on January 8 at 4:05 p.m., received over 36,000 likes.
While various users on the social network chimed in with their own congratulatory commentary, others were less impressed. One such user referred to a young girl’s alleged grand mal seizure and subsequent brain damage as a “vaccine injury,” allegedly diagnosed by the girl’s doctor, in stating that pharmaceuticals carry “at least a risk of harm to some” and as a result, “should never be mandated.”
Growing up, my mom’s best friend had a perfectly healthy daughter. She received MMR and had a grand mal seizure and suffered brain damage. Her dr diagnosed her with vaccine injury. She was left unable to talk or walk for the rest of her life. So that was MY first personal experience with vaccines. Bottom line…A pharmaceutical that carries at least a risk of harm to some, should never be mandated. Because, in the end, no one seems to care about the ‘sacrifices’ made for the ‘common good.’
The user’s “vaccine injury” claim was not verified.
Aside from the vaccination debate the photo has helped reignite, others simply found themselves in appreciation of the aesthetic value offered by the share. One such user chimed in with a comment that referred to Max’s onesie as “incredible.” Another such user wrote, “OMG, cuteness overload!”
