The Centers for Disease Control
is reporting 539 cases of
measles in 17 different outbreaks around the country, the
highest rate since 2000. The agency notes, “Measles spreads through
the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. It is so contagious
that any child who is exposed to it and is not immune will probably
get the disease.”
So far no one has died, but
ten patients have required hospitalization. Yet another study
shows that immunization for measles is
not associated with a higher risk for autism.
Over at the New York Times, physician Pauline Chen
offers this relevant wisdom from her daughter:
One of my 11-year-old twin daughters recently came home from
school distraught. When I asked why, she lifted her foot.There was dog poop on her sneakers.
She watched as I flicked away the doggy detritus with a twig,
then scrubbed the sole of her shoe with an old brush and hot water.
“We don’t like to pick up Buddy’s poop, either,” I could hear her
telling her sister, “but we do it because it’s gross to leave it on
the sidewalk.”When I handed her the shoe, cleaned and as good as new, she
beamed. “Thanks, Mom,” she said, lacing up. But after a few test
twirls in the yard, she stopped.“Didn’t that dog’s owner know he would cause so much trouble for
other people?” she asked, brow furrowing. “He might have even
caused trouble for himself if he came back and stepped in it!”At the tender age of 11, she had seen how one person’s bad
decision could negatively affect others.The same lesson is playing out for patients and doctors across
the country, albeit under far graver circumstances.This year, there has been a major resurgence
of measles, a dangerous disease that for decades had been
virtually unknown in the United States. And it’s become clear that
measles has re-emerged as a public health issue in this country
because large numbers of individuals remain unvaccinated.
For more background, read Reason’s feature articles on
the
libertarian debate over mandatory vaccination.
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