The Measles Outbreak Could Have Been Prevented

I recently read an article posted on CNN.com “Her son died. And then anti-vaxers attacked her.” The antivaxers found her Facebook page and began posting a verbal assault on this grieving mother:

You killed your child.

You deserved what happened to your son.

This is all fake – your child doesn’t exist.

This is beyond cruel. Let me go out on a limb here and say those who lash out in such a cowardly yet public manner are those who have barely a budding twig to stand on. They are people who take a weak position and have no real ground to stand on. So they strike out.

This behavior is not seen in the pro-vaxx crowd. They don’t have to resort to infantile tactics…science and solid studies are on their side.

Anti-vaxxers could give the example of British physician Andrew Wakefield and his “landmark” 1998 paper that showed the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) causes autism. But guess what? This charlatan lost his medical license after charges were brought against him, charges stating he altered patient information and was paid to “fix” his study results. In other words,

He lied.

Twenty studies reviewing Ex-Dr. Wakefield’s work have found no link between children receiving the MMR and then being diagnosed with autism. More than twelve studies have shown that vaccines do not cause autism.

At the very least can we all agree that a paper published (and then retracted, I might add) more than 20 years ago is old news, tired and worn-out. I don’t know about you, but I’d like my kids’ doctor to be up-to-the-moment in her practice of medicine. And up-to-the-moment is:

Vaccines save lives. So get your kids (and yourself!) vaccinated.

Also up-to-the-moment:

The recent outbreak of measles in the U.S. is the largest since the year 2000, when the illness was declared eradicated.

As of late Wednesday, April 24th, the CDC reported 694 cases of the measles so far in 2019. And we are only one-third of the way through the year. Importantly, and not at all surprisingly, most of these cases are from areas where the vaccination against measles is low and approximately 70% of these cases have been diagnosed in unvaccinated individuals.

70%

I realize I can’t rationally argue against a mindset that was arrived at irrationally, but it’s the only responsible thing to do to pass along the facts about the recent measles outbreak and say this:

This outbreak could have been prevented.

And this:

This outbreak could have been prevented by the responsible vaccination of children according to the vaccination schedule and the vaccination of anyone else who is undervaccinated and is able to receive the MMR.

So simply put:

The MMR is safe and effective and saves lives.

Vaccinate your children. And yourself.

Q & A about the MMR and measles:

When should I get my child vaccinated with the MMR?

Routinely, the first dose of MMR is given between 12 and 15 months of age, with the second dose of the series given between 4 and 6 years of age. If your child (or teen) has missed the window for routine vaccination, the two-dose series can be given at any time, with at least 4 weeks between doses.

I’m not sure if I have been vaccinated. How can I find out?

There are several places you can look. Start with your parents, who were provided with your immunization records by the clinic who would have administered your vaccines. Check your baby book. You can also seek out records kept by employers’ human resource departments; your elementary, high school or college; or an immunization registry kept by your home state (but not all states participate in this program). For more information about tracking down your immunization records, click here.

If your search for your immunization records comes up short, you should get immunized. It is not harmful to receive the MMR again if it ends up you had the vaccine as a child. Alternatively, you can request your healthcare practitioner order a titer for measles, mumps and rubella. A titer is a blood draw that will test your blood for antibodies to these diseases. If antibodies are present, you are protected. However, obtaining a titer can be more expensive than simply getting vaccinated.

I received my two-dose MMR as a child. Do I need a booster?

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), adults who have received the two-dose MMR as children are considered immune for life and do not need an MMR booster.

What are the symptoms of the measles?

Symptoms include red rash, fever, runny nose, cough and watery eyes.

What should I do if I think my child has the measles?

Call your child’s healthcare provider and follow the instructions the provider or one of her staff gives you. Stay home unless you are requested to go for an appointment, as the measles is highly contagious and the risk of spreading it is very high. The same advice holds true for you and if you think anyone in your family has been exposed to the measles.

More questions about the measles? Follow this link to the CDC page on “Frequently Asked Questions About Measles in the U.S.”