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The ongoing measles outbreak is caused by too many children not being vaccinated. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention report that before the measles vaccination program started in 1963, about 3 to 4 million people got measles each year in the United States. Of those people, 400 to 500 died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 4,000 developed encephalitis (brain swelling) from measles.

The anti-vaccine movement, particularly successful in wealthier neighbourhoods, is trying to raise children “naturally”

The vaccine program eliminated measles in the United States, but now the disease is on the rise again. In 2014, more than 600 cases were reported and only one month in 2015 more than 100 cases have been reported. It might sound like small numbers, but the growing trend is worrying.

The anti-vaccine movement, particularly successful in wealthier neighbourhoods, is trying to raise children “naturally.” In the wealthy Orange County, The New York Times reported, some schools have 50 to 60 per cent of their kindergarteners not fully vaccinated. As a local doctor puts it: “It’s very frustrating. It’s hard to see a kid suffer for something that’s entirely preventable.” Recently, a German toddler died of the disease.

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The anti-vaccine movement is a big problem, not only for the children not being vaccinated but also because it harms the so-called “herd immunity.” A smaller number of children are for medical reasons not vaccinated, some are too young and the vaccine doesn’t work in some rare cases, but they are all protected by herd immunity when a large enough proportion of the population is actually vaccinated. Opting out of the vaccine, not only hurts the child, but also endangers all others.

We should listen to scientists, not only when it suits our preferences. Climate change is real and happening, it is safe to eat GMOs and food grown with pesticides and of course, you should get your child vaccinated.

National Post