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Measles has just reached a milestone as it spreads across the country and affects the largest number of people since 2000, when public health authorities declared the virus eliminated in the United States. Thanks to the anti-vaccination movement, the virus has returned in strength.
The number of cases soared to 695 infected people in 22 different states, in part because of persistent outbreaks in New York and Washington, according to a statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stopping these ongoing outbreaks as soon as possible will be crucial, says the CDC. "The longer these epidemics last, the more likely that measles will be implanted sustainably in the United States," the CDC said in a statement.
Measles, known for its rashes, can also cause pneumonia, swelling of the brain and death. The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is safe and can prevent measles infections. But some people, such as children under one year of age and those who can not be vaccinated for medical reasons, rely on the rest of the population to get vaccinated to prevent the spread of the notoriously contagious virus.
If everyone can get vaccinated Is, epidemics are small to nonexistent, says the CDC. But when a person with measles visits a community that does not have adequately vaccinated, the epidemic can metastasize. This is because a sneeze can eject the virus into the air, where it can stay up to two hours. And 90% of unvaccinated people exposed to an infected person will catch it.
In particular, the CDC points to inadequate vaccination and the multiplication of misinformation about vaccines as a factor in the outbreaks in New York. "Some organizations are deliberately targeting these communities with inaccurate and misleading information about vaccines," says the CDC. Vox announced earlier this month that anti-vaxx organizations had spread misinformation about vaccine-related health risks for New York's Jewish Orthodox communities.
Alex Azar, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, tried to calm the fearful in a statement released today. "Measles vaccines are among the most studied medical products and their safety has been firmly established for many years in some of the largest vaccine studies ever undertaken," he said. "With a safe and effective vaccine that protects against measles, the suffering we see is preventable."
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