There’s a growing concern over the measles outbreak happening in California, but it should be easily quelled by a measles vaccine, especially to children. However, more parents are going against it, and it looks like nothing is going to change their mind.
In an article by the LA Times, a parent, Gary Monahan, shared how his son developed a high fever and whopping cough after receiving a few rounds of vaccine against mumps, rubella, and measles. The condition worsened that the child was eventually brought to the hospital. When he was nearly four, his child was diagnosed with autism. It left a huge stigma in his life that he didn’t have the rest of his children vaccinated, and he’s not about to do that even if they are in the middle of an outbreak.
It turns out that he isn’t the only one. Although number of those who opted for non-vaccination dwindled, there are still many who prefer to avoid it. One of the strongest reasons is that vaccination leads to autism. This theory may have been borne out of the fact that vaccinations are often given to children as young as a year old. Children who are diagnosed with autism are usually around 3 years old. It didn’t help that a supposed study that established the link became viral, although many health experts have already discredited the supposed study.
Although these parents are aware of the measles outbreak, a number aren’t too concerned and are less likely to choose vaccination because of it. Anti-vaccination is also, interestingly, very popular among the rich and properly educated. For example, in one of the areas in Orange County, non-vaccination is more than twice the average rate of the state.
Meanwhile a doctor Bob Sears mentioned that while residents should be concerned of the outbreak, it should not be a primary cause of alarm and panic. He further added in his e-mail to the publication that many of these measles cases can pass without any complication.