They typically think that it is only their own unvaccinated children and themselves who will be at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases, which they often think are not dangerous, another classic anti-vax myth. Unfortunately, as the increasing number of outbreaks of measles in the United States are showing, neither anti-vax myth is true.
In fact, as we continue to hit new records, we are seeing:
Infants who are too young to be vaccinated get caught up in the outbreaks as they are exposed at a doctor's office or hospital, where the person with measles is seeking care.
People with immune system problems getting needlessly exposed to measles, as happened in Pittsburgh, when a college student with measles possibly exposed about 100 cancer patients.
People develop severe complications of measles, such as the healthcare provider who reportedly developed measles encephalitis during the large measles outbreak in Fort Worth.
We are also learning how much it costs to contain a measles outbreak.
