Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Nearly 40 Million Children Didn't Get All Of Their Measles Shots Last Year
The Washington Post: Measles Is ‘Imminent Threat’ Globally, WHO And CDC Warn
Measles, the preventable but highly infectious disease, could be on the verge of a comeback after a lull in the immediate months following the emergence of the coronavirus, the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. Calling measles an “imminent threat in every region of the world,” the two public health bodies said in a report that almost 40 million children missed their vaccine doses last year. (Jeong, 11/24)
AP: WHO, CDC: A Record 40 Million Kids Miss Measles Vaccine Dose
The WHO and CDC said continued drops in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, mean that “measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.” Scientists estimate that at least 95% of a population needs to be immunized to protect against epidemics; the WHO and the CDC reported that only about 81% of children receive their first dose of measles vaccine while 71% get their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008. (11/23)
In other health threats affecting children —
AP: Pertussis Rates Plummet In Maine Amid Precautions, New Law
The rate of pertussis has fallen sharply in Maine, which not long ago had one of the highest rates of the infectious disease in the country. Pertussis is also called whooping cough and it’s an infection that causes a severe, hacking cough and can be especially dangerous to babies. Maine had the second-highest rate of the disease in the U.S. in 2019 at more than 28 cases per 100,000 residents. (11/26)
AP: Arizona Saw An Increase In Child Deaths During 2021
Drownings, child neglect and firearms contributed to an increase in child deaths in Arizona during 2021, marking the highest rate of child deaths in the last 10 years, according to an annual report issued by the state. The review released earlier this month by the state Child Fatality Review Program said Arizona’s child mortality rate increased by 4.7% from 51 deaths per 100,000 children in 2020 to 53.4 deaths per 100,000 children in 2021, The Arizona Republic reported. (11/26)
