I am under the impression from my general reading on this topic that many non-vaccinating parents choose not to vaccinate against, say, measles, because the disease has largely been eliminated in our (Western) society. The same tends to be said for diptheria, polio or whooping cough.

Arguably, if this is the reason behind non-vaccination, the non-vaxer is reliying on "herd immunity" which may eventually be reduced if great enough members of the "herd" were to also stop vaccinating.

Bear in mind that I am aware that this does not apply to all vaccinations - for example we have no herd immunity from hepatits, and I know that many people have entirely different reasons for refusing the Hep-B vaccine. Likewise, vaccines like gardisill or swine flu fall under a different category of vaccine, IMO.

So my question (which is one which was posed to me a while ago by my science-nut DH) is this : If you have chosen to non-vaccinate for these reasons, would you do the same if you lived in a country where those diseases are not eliminated or greatly reduced? Or are you in effect knowingly taking advantage of the "herd immunity" when you decide to not vaccinate?

Mods, I am not starting this thread as an attack on non-vaccinators, I am geniunely interested in hearing thoughts on this.