With anti-cancer vaccines returning to the spotlight during all-important Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, actress Jessica Biel may be regretting her controversial 2019 trip to Sacramento, California’s capital, where she lobbied against vaccination mandates.
Jessica, 39, a married mom of two, came under heat during that vaccines trip. She reportedly hoped to keep her 2019 presence there under wraps, but pictures of her with notorious anti-vaxxer Robert Kennedy Jr. in Sacramento were released, and many were displeased.
EXCLUSIVE: Jessica Biel comes out as an anti-vax activist, joining RFK Jr. to lobby against the California vaccination bill https://t.co/kqbpZuncKX
Read More— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) June 12, 2019 Related: Salma Hayek, Serena Williams & The Celebrity Moms Speaking Out for Vaccines to Prevent CancerThe Los Angeles Times reported at the time that, “Biel, who is married to Justin Timberlake, posed for selfies with lawmakers in their offices Tuesday and greeted others on the red-carpeted Senate floor, where an electronic message board welcomed her. But the moment her Capitol companion anti-vaccine advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted pictures online of the actress' lobbying efforts regarding vaccines and mandates, a public that overwhelmingly supports mandatory vaccinations unleashed an avalanche of criticism of Jessica and others.”
Lawmakers Blast Jessica Biel for Vaccine Lobbying: “I Wish the 1 Percent Would Stop Spreading Disease to the 99 Percent”https://t.co/aO30miQnX0
— Aafterlo#FF (@Aafterlolu) December 14, 2021
Biel’s Explanation of Her ‘Anti-Vax’ Stance
Biel shared a clarifying statement on Instagram in 2019, along with a photo of her outside the Capitol looking impossibly glamourous. She writes, “This week I went to Sacramento to talk to legislators in California about a proposed bill. I am not against vaccinations I support children getting vaccinations and I also support families having the right to make educated medical decisions for their children alongside their physicians….”
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Biel explained her rationale, saying, “My concern with #SB276 is solely regarding medical exemptions. My dearest friends have a child with a medical condition that warrants an exemption from vaccinations, and should this bill pass, it would greatly affect their family's ability to care for their child in this state.”
The 7th Heaven actress said she wanted to speak with legislators and fight against the bill for people like her dear friends. “That's why I spoke to legislators and argued against this bill,” she wrote. “Not because I don't believe in vaccinations, but because I believe in giving doctors and the families they treat the ability to decide what's best for their patients and the ability to provide that treatment. I encourage everyone to read more on this issue and to learn about the intricacies of #SB276. Thank you to everyone who met with me this week to engage in this important discussion!”
If you’re a person battling cancer, it’s very important to get the Covid-19 vaccine, as some cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, may blunt the immune system. Speak with your doctor about getting the vaccine if you haven’t already.
Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, a doctor from the Mayo Clinic, spoke in an earlier interview about the importance of getting vaccinated if you have cancer. He also assures people of vaccine safety, saying, "It is very safe and there is no increased risk to you just because you have cancer."
"As long as you are feeling well, just go ahead with the vaccine whenever it's offered to you. Sometimes even on the same day if you are going to the clinic to get a small dose of chemotherapy and they're giving the vaccine, just get it, there's really no major problem," Dr. Rajkumar says. "The only people for whom we are saying to delay by a month or two are patients who have had a stem cell transplant because we have wiped out (the patients' immune system). And so you want to wait until some of the recovery happens so when you give the vaccine, they have an immune response."
5 COVID-19 Vaccine Questions Answered by Expert Physician
Which Vaccines Prevent Cancer?
There is a life-saving, cancer-preventing vaccine and that is the HPV vaccine. The Gardasil-9 vaccine is approved for children and adults ages 9 to 45; it's an HPV vaccine that protects against human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer in the United States, and the vaccine may prevent 90% of all cervical cancers.
Experts recommend that children get the HPV vaccine when they're able, as it drastically lowers a person's chances of getting cervical cancer.
Should I Give My Kids the HPV Vaccine? A Leading Doctor On Why She Says "Yes!"
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