The recent outbreak of a measles epidemic in areas of west Texas and New Mexico (where the measles vaccination rate is far below the national average) should serve as a warning to all Americans that vaccinations against measles and other diseases are crucial not only for the individual health of our children, but for society at-large.
Measles officially had been declared eradicated in the United States more than two decades ago, with the occasional infection occurring in persons who had traveled abroad and who unknowingly had come into contact with a person who had measles.
Ironically however, the lack of measles outbreaks in this country over the past 20 years has led to complacency among certain groups who are unaware of the risks of this airborne disease and the ease with which it can spread.
In addition, those who refuse to receive vaccines either for themselves or their children have been grossly misled by charlatans who have made baseless assertions that vaccines can be harmful (such as suggesting a link between vaccines and autism).
In short, the combination of young parents who have no knowledge of the dangers of these diseases (because measles did not exist when they themselves were children) and the misinformation that has been spread by those who have no idea what they are talking about has created a dangerous situation that threatens the health of our country.
For those of us of a certain age who recall the ravages of polio, measles, chicken pox, rubella, mumps, and other diseases before the arrival of vaccines, the level of ignorance and deception in recent years has been nothing less than mind-boggling.
We urge all of our readers with young children to listen to the advice of their pediatricians and allow their children to receive the schedule of vaccinations that has been recommended by health authorities for decades.
Similarly, all of our readers who are “older” should stay up-to-date with their vaccines for the flu, COVID, pneumonia, and RSV. Unfortunately, the uptake of these vaccines has waned since the height of the pandemic, but they are essential for our health and well-being. These diseases kill and hospitalize tens of thousands of Americans annually, but the available vaccines could significantly reduce those numbers if everyone were to get their annual shots.