There has been a measles outbreak on the West Coast, and it is at risk of becoming a serious public health crisis.
The outbreak originated at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, which is clearly no longer “the happiest place on earth.” Approximately 1,000 people are thought to be at risk due to the outbreak, which includes nearly 200 children who could have been exposed to the virus at a medical center in Phoenix. At least 95 of those infected have been linked to the outbreak at Disneyland, according to the California Department of Public Health, and most of those infected were not vaccinated.
Those who have not been vaccinated are being urged by health officials to stay home for 21 days or wear masks if they must go out in public. The quarantine seems extreme, but it is a standard practice for when a disease of this caliber is suspected.
“To stay in your house for 21 days is hard,” Arizona Health Services director Will Humble said to CBS News Wednesday. “But we need people to follow those recommendations, because all it takes is a quick trip to Costco before you’re ill and, ‘bam,’ you’ve just exposed a few hundred people. We’re at a real critical juncture with the outbreak.”
One family in Oakland, California has been harshly affected by the outbreak. Jennifer and Dave Simon have been urged to quarantine their 6-month-old Livia for 28 days after a trip to the doctor for the common cold put her in contact with another child with measles. The Simons learned that Livia had come in contact with the virus because the other child’s parents refused vaccination, whereas Livia is too young to consider vaccination.
“I’m angry,” Jennifer told CNN Wednesday. “I’ve been upset that someone else’s personal choice has impacted us so much.”
Livia’s quarantine ends Friday, but Jennifer told CNN that she hopes families who opt out of immunizing their children realize the full impact of their decision.
Disturbingly, not vaccinating children has become a trend in recent years. California in particular has experienced an upturn in numbers of exemption based on “personal belief.” Personal belief exemptions have become extremely popular, kick-started by legislation that grants exemptions based solely on an affidavit from the parent stating that their personal beliefs go against vaccination. The form must be signed by a medical professional (or “naturopathic” doctor) and state that the person received information about the risks and benefits of immunization.
On the other hand, the number of California kindergarten parents citing personal belief as a reason to not vaccinate their child decreased in 2014, the Los Angeles Times reported on Jan. 23.
Measles has been falsely labeled as an innocent disease by those who oppose vaccines, but in reality, it’s highly dangerous. It can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis and even death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Actress and model Jenny McCarthy has frequently publicized her views on the dangers of vaccinations, citing the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine as the catalyst to her son’s case of mild autism. Maybe that’s part of the reason why more and more parents are refusing vaccinations, but that myth has been debunked time and time again. It has been proven by countless medical professionals that autism is not linked to the MMR vaccine. Dr. Samuel Katz, who helped develop the MMR vaccine, has said the question “is not whether we shall see a world without measles, but when.” However, his dream may not become a reality due to misinformation and ignorance.
People can do whatever they want with their own children. It’s their decision, and vaccinations are probably never going to be mandated. There have been numerous attempts to get strong information campaigns going, but if people don’t want to vaccinate their kids, just about nothing is going to convince them otherwise. But a line must be drawn when it comes to putting other peoples’ kids in danger, like in the case of the Simon family.
If you want to play on a sports team, you have to get a physical. If you want to live in a dorm in certain states, you have to be vaccinated against meningitis. Perhaps large public places such as Disneyland could have a requirement, like a box you would have to check off when buying your ticket. By not vaccinating your child before you take them out in public, you are denying the chance for other children, especially those with compromised immune systems, to fully enjoy their lives, which is completely unfair.
That one personal decision that one parent made for their kid is now a giant, potentially deadly public health issue. You’re not protecting your kid — or any kid — by not vaccinating them.
