Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Vast Majority Of Americans Think Children Should Be Vaccinated Despite Parents' Beliefs On The Matter
Reuters: 77% Of Americans Say Kids Should Get Measles Shot Even If Parents Object: Reuters Poll
Three out of four Americans believe children should be vaccinated against measles even if their parents object, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found, showing little sympathy for the anti-vaccination movement that U.S. officials blame for the ongoing outbreak. Some 764 cases of the disease have been confirmed in the United States so far this year, the most seen in 25 years, in an outbreak that public health officials have called "completely avoidable" and largely linked to misinformation campaigns against the vaccines. (5/7)
The Associated Press: Health Officials Say NYC Measles Cases Reach 466
The number of measles cases in New York City has reached 466 since the outbreak began in October. The city's health department said Tuesday that 43 new cases were recorded since it last reported figures in April. (5/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Measles Cases In New York City Climb To 466
The newly reported cases continue to be concentrated in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Eight cases were added to the tally for the Borough Park area, a neighborhood where health officials had seen declines. The majority of cases continue to be among children under 4 years of age. Though the outbreak has primarily occurred within insular Orthodox Jewish communities, three of the new cases are among residents of the Sunset Park area of Brooklyn who aren’t members of the Orthodox Jewish community, health officials said. (West, 5/7)
Reuters: WHO Issues Warning As Measles Infects 34,000 In Europe This Year
More than 34,000 people across Europe caught measles in the first two months of 2019, with the vast majority of cases in Ukraine, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday as it urged authorities to ensure vulnerable people get vaccinated. The death toll among 34,300 cases reported across 42 countries in the WHO's European region reached 13, with the virus killing people in Ukraine - which is suffering a measles epidemic - as well as in Romania and Albania. The risk is that outbreaks may continue to spread, the WHO warned. (5/7)
Sacramento Bee: School Nurses On Front Line Against Anti-Vaxxers, Measles Outbreaks. Why Aren’t There More Of Them?
Experts say nurses play a key role in containing communicable diseases by spotting and isolating infected students and keeping track of children who haven’t been vaccinated. Nurses also can more easily detect whether parents are using a bogus medical exemption to prevent their children from getting vaccinated. (Finch II, 5/8)
