An outbreak of measles is sweeping through southern California and beyond. THERE’S also a notable pushback against scientific authority these days. Humans don’t like being told they should undergo vaccinations “for the public good,” that they should stop burning fossil fuels, “for the public good,” that they should stop smoking “for the public good.”
Seems an increasing percentage of young parents are refusing to have their children inoculated against the highly contagious disease.
They are convinced the effectiveness of the customary MMR vaccine does not work and in fact, may be harmful.
The facts say otherwise.
Before the measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations became the law of the land, between 3 and 4 million Americans contracted measles annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those, 400 to 500 died, another 48,000 were hospitalized and 4,000 experienced encephalitis, swelling of the brain.
The backlash to the vaccine could be because these young parents grew up in a time post-measles, mumps and polio.
They have no visceral memory of a parent’s constant worry their children could contract one of the potentially deadly diseases.
In the year 2000, measles was declared eradicated in the United States. In 2014 however, 667 cases were reported. In January of this year, 84 cases in 14 states have been reported. At this rate we will likely surpass the number of cases reported last year and the risk of death rises.
How does this happen?
People choose to believe pseudo-science over real science. Or they believe vaccinations are not “natural,” and think an uber-healthy lifestyle will serve as a barrier against infection.
“Those are your facts,” they say.
Well, no.
By their very nature, facts are indisputable.
Immunizations can eliminate a person’s chance of contracting measles. That’s a fact — and should be the end of the discussion. But as we know, sadly, won’t be.
— Susan Lynn
Measles outbreak: a medical crisis without merit
