New York City Is Having a Measles Outbreak. In Other News, Vaccinate Your Children!
Pro tip: NEVER Google image search the word “measles.” I’m still recovering.
If you’re under the age of 40 or so, it’s very likely that the only people you know who have had measles are… well, you probably don’t even know anyone your age who’s had measles. But maybe your parents had the disease? You didn’t though, because you were protected by the measles vaccine introduced in 1963. Modern science. It’s done some good! But now, thanks to anti-vaccine activists like Jenny McCarthy, measles is making a comeback.
Via Gothamist, the Health Department is “urging New Yorkers to make sure they are vaccinated against measles because 16 cases of measles have been detected in northern Manhattan and the Bronx. Seven adults and nine children have come down with the measles, and four have been hospitalized.” Most at risk from the outbreak are young children, pregnant women, and people who have compromised immune systems. The Health Department asks New Yorkers to make sure that they have, in fact, been vaccinated, cautioning that, “adults who are unsure of their vaccination history can be revaccinated or obtain a blood test to see if they are immune. Several adults who are included in this outbreak thought they had been vaccinated in the past, but lacked documentation.” Also, officials added the reminder, “Vaccinations are very safe. The benefits far outweigh any risks. Side effects are usually mild, such as soreness where the shot was given.” So, please, ignore all the unscientific garbage you might have heard about how vaccines cause autism, and vaccinate your children and yourself. Because, have you seen what measles do to a person? Here, I did the Google image search for you. It’s not pretty.
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