Who's Calling the Shots on Vaccines?

PositionHEALTH - Measles vaccines

The measles outbreak continues to spread. From Jan. 1 to May 3, 764 cases were confirmed in 23 states. That's the highest annual total since 1994 and since the virus was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Increases in cases can occur when infected travelers abroad bring it into the U.S., or when there's a spread in communities with pockets of unvaccinated people.

Early outbreaks occurred in and around New York City, where Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency for parts of Brooklyn in April. State and local health departments investigate measles cases and outbreaks when they occur, and that can be costly. In and around Seattle, for example, schools and public health officials spent more than a $1 million in the first two months of the year to contain the illness, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

Measles is highly contagious--up to 90% of people exposed to an infected person will likely get it if they have not been vaccinated. The disease spreads through coughing and sneezing and starts with a high fever. Then comes a runny nose, red eyes and, finally, a rash of tiny red spots breaks out over the body. It can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and death.

Most of those who get infected have not been fully vaccinated. (It takes two doses.)

Some people are suspicious of mandatory government-run vaccination programs, contending they infringe on their right to make medical decisions for themselves and their families. Others fear vaccines increase the risk of autism and other problems, though several large...

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