The resurgence of measles in the U.S. highlights the risks posed by declining vaccination rates. A recent outbreak has sickened over 150 individuals and resulted in the first child death from measles since 2003. Experts warn that measles is highly contagious, requiring vaccination coverage of at least 95% to ensure community protection. The downward trend in vaccinations could bring back diseases once considered eliminated, transforming childhood experiences and posing significant health risks to children across the nation.
Measles is arguably the most contagious infectious disease that scientists know about. Researchers have estimated that, in a population where there's zero immunity, one infected person infects about 12 to 18 others.
Measles can restrict breathing and cause complications such as pneumonia; it is a disease that requires really high levels of vaccination to keep it out.
If you start to dip just a bit below the vaccination threshold of 95 percent, like even 92 percent, you start to get into trouble.
The recent measles outbreak and death of an unvaccinated child could reshape childhood experiences in America, highlighting the dangers of declining vaccination rates.
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