Measles Cases Rise In California Due To Vaccine Misconceptions
Friday, February 21, 2014
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, but since then, a false link between the measles vaccine and autism has been widely publicized.
As a result, an increasing number of parents have refused to vaccinate their children.
California state epidemiologist Gil Chavez said that trend is based on a false assumption.
“There is absolutely no information that supports a theory that vaccinations are harmful to kids, and that they have any link to longterm problems such as autism," Chavez said.
Seven of California’s measles cases this year have been among people who were intentionally unvaccinated.
Measles is highly infectious. There is no treatment for it. Most people recover in two to three weeks, but it can cause serious complications, including encephalitis and pneumonia.
Measles killed 122,000 people worldwide in 2012.
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