In Philadelphia’s measles outbreak, a reminder of the importance of vaccines
"From so-called vaccine skeptics like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to anti-vaccine advocates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., some politicians are hoping to gain political power by exploiting the misguided fears of worried parents and the curdled selfishness of American individualism exemplified by the anti-vaxxer movement.
"Although these candidates’ chances of reaching the presidency are slim, the potentially lethal consequences of their way of thinking threaten to erase decades of public health gains and reintroduce long-dormant diseases into populations that are too young to be vaccinated.
"Philadelphians were reminded of the dangers of the anti-vaccine movement last week when the city’s Department of Public Health confirmed a measles outbreak. As of Friday, there were six confirmed and three suspected cases, officials said. The cluster began at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and spread to a day-care center where parents had sent their ill child in violation of quarantine guidelines."
"Measles is a childhood disease caused by a virus that produces a characteristic red rash. It spreads easily (it is significantly more contagious than COVID-19 ) and can be fatal. Symptoms include high fever, cough, and runny nose. Serious cases can cause brain inflammation or respiratory failure. Thanks to the MMR vaccine — which provides protection against measles, mumps, and rubella — the disease has been nearly eradicated in the United States."
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I don't know how many more times we can discuss the importance of vital vaccines, but when you see children made sick for no good reason, it makes you very angry. What kind of "parents" can be this selfish and ignorant? Measles is a serious disease. Why would you prefer the disease to the vaccine?
America is not a third world country, and vaccines are readily available, so there is no excuse for this kind of complacency and stupidity.
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