Measles outbreaks reported from various parts of the U.S. once again spur debate over vaccination, its need and prevailing myths. At least five babies in the Chicago area have been reported to be infected with the measles and more cases could be reported given the contagious nature of this disease. The babies weren’t vaccinated because they were too young for measles vaccination.
Dr. Ken Haller of Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center explained that children less than one year can’t be vaccinated for measles as it doesn’t react well with their natural immunities. Such babies contract measles because the natural immunity they get from their mothers may not be effective in fighting off measles. Once baby gets the measles, it could be of serious concern. Hence it is important that anyone who can get vaccinated, need to be vaccinated.
Another report suggested that 3% of St. Louis children are not vaccinated because of prevailing medical or religious exemptions.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention data released in October 2014 pointed at the lowest kindergarten vaccination rate in the state of Colorado, which was reported at 81.7%.
Tony Cappello, the Northeast Colorado Health Department’s Public Health Director, explained that the problem lies in data itself as the participation size was too small to derive any useful conclusion. Only 350 out of estimated 69,904 kindergartners in Colorado participated in a random-selection survey.
However, Cappello expressed that the available data could be a good starting point to build more reliable data.
With the reports of measles outbreaks, some old myths are also resurfacing about vaccines and their rational need in the current times. People believe that diseases prevented by vaccines are long gone and hence children don’t need them.
However, the recurrence of contagious measles once again spurs debate over the need for vaccination. The disease may not just require hospitalization but could also lead to lifelong brain damage, deafness and even death.
CDC data suggested 644 measles cases in the U.S. in 2014, with nearly 28% children under-5 requiring hospitalization over the past decade.