The anti-vax movement keeps setting records nobody wanted
Thirty-five years of medical progress, undone by people who think science is suspicious.
Measles is having its best year in America since 1991, which is excellent news for measles and a little embarrassing for everyone else.
Most of the cases are among unvaccinated people, and health officials continue to warn the surge could cost the United States its measles-elimination status. MAHA Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. initially downplayed the outbreak and recommended proven non-cures, such as cod liver oil. Eventually, his brainworm forced a concession that the MMR vaccine works, while carefully reminding everyone that avoiding brain inflammation remains a personal choice.
The U.S. measles case count for this year has surged past last year’s total and now stands at 2,295 — a level that hasn’t been seen in 35 years, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker that compiles state and local health data.
Why it matters: It’s the latest sign that the virus is rebounding in areas with low vaccine coverage, threatening the United States’ measles elimination status, which is due to be reviewed in November.
The big picture: The majority of cases are in unvaccinated people. While overall measles vaccination rates are still relatively high, public health officials say they must remain above 95% to maintain herd immunity.
Thirty-five years of medical progress, undone by people who think science is suspicious.
The scary thing for me is my youngest grandson turns 4 in 3 weeks. That means that he isn't fully vaccinated, because the schedule says the second dose is given at at 4. So 3 more weeks, plus 2 for the vaccine to fully kick in and then I'll feel better. Fortunately we live in an area where people believe in vaccinating, so he has only a small chance of infection.
Darwin will be right, very eventually.