Anti-Vaccine Hysteria Puts All of Us at Risk

The recent outbreak of
measles in the United States is cause for concern for every Amercian.

First and foremost, measles
is a highly contagious disease that places at risk anyone who is in the
vicinity of someone who is infected with measles, whether it be on a plane, a
ship, or the person standing next to you in line at the store.

Second, measles is a disease
that can have severe complications for those who contract it, especially the
very young, the elderly, and pregnant women. Though measles can lead to death
in rare cases, there are many more complications, ranging from flu-like
symptoms to encephalitis (the swelling of the brain) that can cause lifelong
cognitive and physical defects.

Third, the recent outbreak
shows how dangerous our society can become for all of us when a small minority
decides, for reasons ranging from religious beliefs to quack science, that they
are not going to accept vaccinations for their children.

Vaccinations for smallpox,
polio, measles, and other contagious diseases are the single-most significant
reason why life expectancy in the developed world has increased exponentially
in the past 100 years, even though rates of death from heart disease and cancer
have remained roughly the same.

The spread of misinformation
over the internet about the safety,
reliability, and efficacy of vaccines is yet another example of how viral
misinformation via social media is damaging our society.

Measles was declared
eradicated in this country in 2000. Hopefully, our public health officials will
address the situation swiftly, not only to eliminate the threat of measles
itself, but also to ensure that the anti-vaccine contagion does not spread to
other diseases that can have serious consequences for all of us.