‘Nervous The Whole Time’: For Parents Of Infants Too Young For Vaccinations, Outside World Feels Like A Battlefield
In the midst of the country's largest measles outbreak in decades, parents with very young babies are stuck in limbo. “It’s just maddening, because I shouldn’t have to worry about measles,” one mother tells The New York Times. Meanwhile, public health officials say that stable vaccination rates over the past years have masked the fact that there's an ever growing population of children and young adults who aren't protected.
The New York Times:
Parents Of Babies Too Young To Vaccinate Feel Trapped By Measles Outbreak
Roberta Traini gritted her teeth through the small talk at the Barnes & Noble checkout, grabbed her purchases and hustled her 5-month-old daughter, Gretha, into the chilly April air, where it was safer to breathe. “I was freaking out in there,” Ms. Traini said, jabbing her finger at the store. “I needed to buy a present for a birthday, so I was forced to go. I was nervous the whole time.” This is life during a measles outbreak for parents of babies: a maelstrom of fear, isolation, truncated plans and, not infrequently, unfiltered fury. (Bosman, 5/2)
Stat:
As Measles Cases Spread, The Tinder For More Outbreaks Is Growing
U.S. health officials are putting all they have into extinguishing measles outbreaks, many of them raging in cities throughout the country. The reality, though, is that there is a growing amount of tinder afoot, a fact that will make it increasing difficult to battle these blazes, experts fear. In recent years, the percentage of children who have received one or more doses of measles-containing vaccine has remained relatively stable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Branswell, 5/3)
And in other news —
The Washington Post:
Colorado Vaccine Bill: Kyle Mullica, Lawmaker Behind Controversial Bill, Gets A Death Threat
Kyle Mullica, a freshman member of Colorado’s House, came into office this past January with a sense of mission. An emergency-room nurse, he had run a campaign based on his experience in the world of medicine, in an era where anxiety about health care is high. Even with his experience, he was surprised when during an introductory meeting with an official from the state’s Department of Public Health and Environment, he was told that Colorado was at the bottom nationwide for the percentage of children in kindergarten who were vaccinated against diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella. He had seen people coming into the ER with “vaccine-preventable” diseases like whooping cough, he said, but he was still shocked. (Rosenberg, 5/2)
Reuters:
Maine Senate Rejects Ending Religious Exemptions For Vaccinations
An effort to end all non-medical exemptions for childhood vaccinations in Maine was in limbo on Thursday after the state Senate voted to amend it to allow parents to keep opting out on religious grounds. The bill had passed the Democratic-controlled state House of Representatives last month, making Maine one of at least seven states considering ending non-medical exemptions amid the worst outbreak of measles in the United States in 25 years. (5/2)
The CT Mirror:
CT Health Officials Set To Release School-Level Data On Unvaccinated Children
For the first time, the state Department of Public Health will release to the public details about how many children at each school in the state are vaccinated. The release comes amidst the worst outbreak of measles the United States has experienced since it was eliminated 19 years ago. There have been over 700 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. so far this year, including three in Connecticut. (Hardman, 5/2)
