‘Nothing Short Of Epic’: As Measles Outbreak Raced Across County, Officials Created Innovative Strategies To Stave It Off
The Washington Post looks back at some of the ways state leaders and public health officials reacted during the spread of the measles outbreak this year. “The new normal is getting more nuanced in our communication and better understanding these communities that are vaccine-hesitant,” said Michael Fraser, executive director of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
The Washington Post:
Health Officials Try New Tactics Against Measles Outbreak
The most recent effort to crush the largest measles outbreak in nearly three decades took place at a Brooklyn soccer field. As Latino players and fans showed up for a weekend tournament, Spanish-speaking health teams offered free vaccines to players and spectators, explaining the outbreak in predominantly Orthodox Jewish communities had spread in recent weeks and had sickened some Latino adults. “We know there’s a lot of adults who are unvaccinated,” said Paulo Pina, a doctor from NYU Langone Health who was part of the team. “It’s important that we vaccinate them, too, because this is New York: Everybody interacts with everybody.” (Sun, 8/2)
Meanwhile —
Kaiser Health News:
The Real-Life Conversion Of A Former Anti-Vaxxer
Amid the contentious dispute over immunization requirements for children, Kelley Watson Snyder stands out: She has been both a recalcitrant skeptic and an ardent proponent of childhood vaccines. Snyder, a Monterey, Calif., mother of two, was a so-called anti-vaxxer for many years, adding her voice to those that rejected mandatory vaccinations for school-age children. She later realized she was wrong and in 2014 founded a pro-vaccination Facebook group called “Crunchy Front Range Pro-Vaxxers,” which she administers. It is an invitation-only site on which approximately 1,100 members exchange views and information. (Glionna, 7/5)
