My, how time has changed society’s perception of measles. When you read today’s headlines about the number of reported cases of measles in New York, Oregon, Washington and other states in the United States, you would think we’re talking about Ebola. It seems like every newspaper, magazine and television news program is reporting on measles as if it were a Zombie virus.
After the Rockland County, New York executive Ed Day declared a state of emergency on Mar. 26 banning unvaccinated children under age 18 from public places, on Apr. 9, 2019, New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency covering four areas of the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn after a local outbreak of more than 285 cases of measles since last October. Mayor de Blasio said, “Measles is a dangerous, potentially deadly disease… ” He added, “We have a situation now where children are in danger. We have to take this seriously.”1 2 3
But just how much of this is hype, unnecessary fear-mongering? Yes, in impoverished, underdeveloped countries around the world, measles is considered a deadly disease, especially in populations with substandard nutrition and vitamin A deficiency and limited access to health care. Vitamin A deficiency has long been recognized as a major contributor to measles mortality.4 In 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated, “Vitamin A deficiency contributes to delayed recovery and to the high rate of measles complications.”5
The situation is different in the U.S. where most of our population has good access to health care and nutritional food and there are relatively high vitamin A levels. There has been only one reported measles-associated death in the past decade in the U.S.6 By the time the measles vaccine was licensed in the U.S. in 1963, measles was no longer associated with high death rates like it was at the turn of the 20th century when the standard of living was much lower.7
In 2015, pediatrician Bob Sears, MD made this observation about measles:
Deadly? Not in the U.S., or any other developed country with a well-nourished population. The risk of fatality here isn’t zero, but it’s as close to zero as you can get without actually being zero. Out of all the cases severe enough to seek medical care, the fatality rate is about 1 in 1,000 cases. Since about 90% of cases are mild and don’t seek medical care, the true fatality rate of all cases in the U.S. is about 1 in 10,000.8
But will it spread through the U.S. and kill people left and right? No. Does measles do that in underdeveloped countries? Sadly, yes. It kills countless people worldwide every year. So, that’s how health officials can accurately say it’s so deadly. They don’t have to tell you the whole truth, just the part of the truth that they want you to believe.8
However, Dr. Sears has also cautioned that measles, like any infection, can cause serious complications in some children and adults. He said, “Measles can also be serious for young infants, just as many diseases can. It can also be serious for immunocompromised people, just as all illnesses. It can also cause pregnancy complications, just like many infections can. Measles isn’t unique in these risks. But they are risks nonetheless.”8
By any reasonable standard, it can be said that the hype pumping up fear of measles in the U.S. has become excessive this year. Certainly, the infection should be respected and taken seriously, just like any infection that can have complications for some people. Adopting a rational approach, Dr. Sears advised, “Take appropriate precautions with it. But don’t let anyone tell you should live in fear of it. Let’s handle it calmly and without fear or blame.”8
That feels infinitely more reasonable than the kind of language being used by Mayor de Blasio and the extreme measures he is calling for that threaten and coerce people by threatening punishment if they don’t vaccinate. Fines of $1,000 for those who do not comply with his state of emergency decree? Sending health officials into schools to demand student medical and attendance records?9
Does de Blasio contemplate ultimately jailing people who do not comply or having police officers with medical personnel knock on doors of people’s homes and vaccinate them against their will?
This is getting a little too surreal. It’s starting to feel like we’re living in Cuba or Venezuela, rather than the United States of America, land of the free and home of the brave. And for what, measles?
One of my favorite television shows from the 1970s was The Brady Bunch. I remember the classic episode when all the Brady kids came down with measles. Here’s an excerpt from the episode “Is There a Doctor in the House?” which first aired on Dec. 26, 1969…10
Carol (Mrs. Brady): Peter, what are you doing home from school?
Peter: They sent me home… measles.
Alice (the maid): It’s either measles or a strange case of red freckles.
Carol: You have got a temperature.
Peter: They told me, 101.1. What’s the record?
Carol: Never mind.
Mike (Mr. Brady): Oh, are you sure it’s the measles?
Carol: Well, he’s certainly got all the symptoms. A slight temperature, a lot of dots, and a great big smile.
Mike: A great big smile?
Carol: No school for a few days.
Mike: Say hello to my dotted son. Tell him I’ll bring him some comic books and I’ll see you later.
Greg: Boy, this is the life isn’t it?
Marcia: Yeah, if you have to get sick, sure can’t beat the measles.
Peter: That’s right!
Jan: No medicine!
Greg: Inside or out… like shots, I mean.
Jan: Don’t even mention shots… yukk!11
How do you square that script with today’s rhetoric? What has happened in the U.S. during the past 50 years to transform measles from a light-hearted, comedic storyline of a popular family sitcom into something that feels more like a scene from the horror movie “Night of the Living Dead”? Is our collective memory really that short?
This article or commentary provides referenced information and perspective on a topic related to vaccine science, policy, law or ethics being discussed in public forums and by U.S. lawmakers. The websites of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provide information and perspective of federal agencies responsible for vaccine research, development, regulation and policymaking.
References:1 Fisher BL. NY Judge Halts Action by Rockland County Exec Banning Unvaccinated Kids from Public Spaces. The Vaccine Reaction Apr. 10, 2019.
2 Romo V. New York Declares Health Emergency As Measles Spreads In Parts Of Brooklyn. NPR Apr. 9, 2019.
3 De Blasio Administration’s Health Department Declares Public Health Emergency Due to Measles Crisis. NYC.gov Apr. 9, 2019.
4 American Academy of Pediatrics. Vitamin A Treatment of Measles. Pediatrics 1993; 91(5).
5 World Health Organization. Measles Vaccines: WHO Position Paper. WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record Aug, 28, 2009.
6 Ford D. Washington reports first US measles death in 12 years. CNN July 2, 2015.
7 Fisher BL. Measles Reports in America: What Does It Mean? NVIC Newsletter Sept. 19, 2013.
8 Sears B. Just How Deadly is Measles? First Freedoms Jan. 16, 2015.
9 Pager T. De Blasio Measles Outbreak: Yeshiva’s Preschool Program Is Closed by New York City Health Officials. The New York Times Apr. 15, 2019.
10 List of The Brady Bunch episodes. Wikipedia.
11 YouTube. Measles… Back in the Day. The Vaccine Reaction Mar. 15, 2017.
19 Responses
The push for mandatory vaccination is akin to the Weapons Of Mass Destruction lie and push for war. The same sort of propaganda machine is used starting with the hysterical fear mongering and threat of death if something isn’t done and if Americans don’t let the government take away their rights for their own good. What happened than-The Patriot Act.
Ironically vaccine were part of the WMD lie. Bush approached the CDC to assess mandating the Smallpox vaccine for the county. The CDC held a meeting in 2002 on the matter with the key speaker Dr. Thomas Mack. Dr. Mack is the foremost authority on Smallpox in the world having spent decades researching the disease in 3rd world countries. Dr. Mack blew holes in 2 of the Rabid Vaccine Pushers propaganda-Herd Immunity and all vaccines are safe. Here are a couple of statement Mack made in his speech which the CDC has removed from it’s website. Fortunately it’s captured on the Wayback Engine and dozens of other websites:
-Unexposed community members have negligible risk. There is a substantial risk from a vaccine, as you’ll hear in a moment. It is the single most dangerous live vaccine. (Many Doctors have stated Smallpox is not highly contagious as the CDC claims)
-If people are worried about endemic smallpox, it disappeared from this country not because of our mass herd immunity. It disappeared because of our economic development. And that’s why it disappeared from Europe and many other countries, and it will not be sustained here, even if there were several importations, I’m sure. It’s not from universal vaccination.
The verbatim transcript of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices held at the Atlanta Marriott Century Center, Atlanta, Georgia, on June 19 and 20, 2002. http://www.vaclib.org/news/drmacks.htm
Interesting quote:
“It is pathetic and ludicrous to say we ever vanquished smallpox with vaccines, when only 10% of the population was ever vaccinated.”–Glen Dettman A.M.M., BA, Ph.D., F.A.P.M.
Here is another interesting statement:
-Dr. Alexander Langmuir, the father of modern day epidemiology was a strong supporter for development of the vaccine even though he knew that measles was a
“self-limiting infection of short duration, moderate severity, and low fatality, which has maintained a remarkable stable biological balance over the centuries.”
He also stated,
“To those who ask me, ‘Why do you wish to eradicate measles?’ I reply with the same answer that [Sir Edmund] Hilary used when asked why he wished to climb Mt. Everest. He said ‘because it is there.’ To this may be added “And it can be done.”
He never said, “Because it’s maiming thousands with blindness and encephalitis and killing hundreds, and is a blight worse than Black Plague”.
http://drsuzanne.net/2015/10/why-dr-suzanne-humphries-an-anti-vaccine-activist-is-lying-to-you-about-measles/#sthash.8ygFt3bp.dpuf
Considering measles deaths had declined 99.7 % had a measles vaccine not been made the illness probably would have faded away just like scarlet fever or any other illness that there is no vaccine for. The vaccine put measles back in play. Not only that the KMV-the first one, created a spawn (I call it that) Atypical Measles-(AMS) which was suppose to have been eradicated when they stopped giving it to children in 1967. It should have died out but it is still being diagnosed today. That is the more aggressive form of Measles and it came from the vaccine.
-Atypical measles syndrome in adults: still around.
BMJ Case Rep. 2015 Sep 23;2015. pii: bcr2015211054. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2015-211054.
A drug that is injected into children that was never needed, was made, by a corporation that is supported by the CDC, HHS, FDA and hundreds of uninformed medical professionals around the world, simply because it could be, that has been killing, maiming children and adults for over 50 years and the Radical Pro-Vaxxers want to lay the blame at the feet of and penalize Healthy Unvaccinated Children and Adults as a distraction away from their own complicity in what will be known as vaccine crimes upon humanity .
No experiment should be conducted where there is a prior reason to believe that death or disabling injury will occur; except, perhaps, in those experiments where the experimental physicians also serve as subjects. Nuremberg Code: Point #5
Clarification: Atypical Measles or AMS was developed in 1961. America isn’t the only country using it so there are different dates on studies that are online. Problem with getting exact dates now is various sites on Vaccine History or site that support vaccine mandtes have been sanitizing their websites. One specifically-the CDC.
I agree 100%. Money and control is the weapon of destruction here. It is astonishing to watch and listen to the stupidity in this country. Truly scares me.
Mayor de Blasio said, “Measles is a dangerous, potentially deadly disease… ” He added, “We have a situation now where children are in danger. We have to take this seriously.
Oh,but you want us to have open borders?? These liberal,lying, lunatics are on Big Pharma’s payroll. Follow the money.
You know everyone keeps talking about liberals. Where are the republicans and conservatives standing up for the people who want Medical Autonomy, Informed consent and the right to chose. I don’t see them giving interviews or being in the crowds at meetings across the county supporting families. The man who held the much publicized Vaccine Save Lives hearing, Senator Lamar Alexander, Chairman of the HELP committee is a republican who has accepted $714,112 from the “pharmaceutical/health products” sector, which includes many vaccine manufacturers, according to OpenSecrets.org. If you go through open secrets you will find that both parties are on the pharma teat.
There are already 2 camps-unvaccinated and vaccinated. There doesn’t need to be splinter groups based on political allegiances.
“Children are in danger”. But abortions are NOT a danger to kids????????
Your statement is a false equivalence.
The vaccine tyrants hardly care about Ebola, and probably defended Kaci Hickok in her fight against being quarantined. That nurse wanted to sue for her “right” to threaten the safety of others against a truly dreadful illness. I do think about Ebola when I hear people going on about measles. It seems to me that even today’s measles cases originate from travelers to and from other countries. Many contagious illnesses do, and I don’t personally believe that vaccines offer any protection from some of them. The latest measles news I saw was about a woman in her 40s in a coma from measles. And my immediate thoughts were that the publicity is nothing but a scare tactic by those who wish to have the legal right to violate us physically, and the woman would not have been protected by a vaccine – her circumstance was on an individual basis, just as all courses of illness are.
“The latest measles news I saw was about a woman in her 40s in a coma from measles.”
With the spin the MSM and the pro-vaccine cabal is putting on this story they should audition for the Cirque du Soleil.
Israeli flight attendant in coma after getting measles
https://wgntv.com/2019/04/17/israeli-flight-attendant-in-coma-after-getting-measles/?response=correction-sent
Like many others of her generation around the world, the flight attendant, who has not been identified, received only one dose of the measles vaccine when she was a child.
Yes, they are different diseases but mega dose vitamin C works well on both of them. Ssh, don’t tell B. Gates as he wants to take supplements away.
This is considered a medical crisis? This is their justification to continue to push the vaccine agenda on the public. At stake, millions if not billions of dollars! If we really want to talk about a crisis, let’s talk about the many young people who die from drug and alcohol abuse each year. And the legalized recreational use of marijuana is only making it worse! Where’s the concern about that!?
WOW!!! How did we get so political about an issue of personal choice. I think that persons, both Democrat and Republican can agree that everyone should decide what is put into or done to their own body or their minor children. Are you really fat—you should have a tummy tuck and an intestinal bypass and YOU shall lose weight—never mind you don’t want one and either may kill you. If you don’t want to get measles, get vaccinated! See if that works for YOU. Myself, I rely on the natural rules of good health which include proper nutrition, proper supplements, exercise, time in an outdoor natural environment and sunlight (vitamin D3—lots of it), good sleep, good family and friends interaction. And as little medical interference and drugs as possible. Do some real research such as PubMed.gov, mercola.com, LEF.org or even my blog, drchiptravis.com. I don’t write about vaccines, only health and prevention, but I never write what I can’t prove by research.
Watch this take on what the Brady Bunch thought of the Measles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47RUl5xqs_s
Tuberculosis, once a leading killer of people in the United States, and scarlet fever declined, not because of vaccines, but because of isolating sick people with those diseases and an emphasis on cleanliness and proper diet. Everyone my age had or was exposed to childhood diseases like measles, mumps, and chicken pox and we recovered and were permanently immune. Many of us who taught elementary school children for 40 years or more, did not contact any of these diseases from the children we taught.
The insanity continues:
“A fireman need not obtain the informed consent of the owner before extinguishing a house fire,” Knipel wrote in his ruling as quoted by Gothamist. “Vaccination is known to extinguish the fire of contagion.”
Source: https://www.npr.org/2019/04/19/715016284/brooklyn-judge-upholds-mandatory-vaccinations-as-new-york-city-closes-more-schoo
Isabel, did you see? That woman in the coma had actually been vaccinated previously for measles. Yet, the media is using her story to promote vaccination for measles…idiots. They also added that she had previously been “perfectly healthy,” whatever that means. Most MDs don’t even know what perfect health looks like.
Can you say diabetes?
Are any of these people old enough to remember Hitler, the Holocaust, and Communism? We are getting closer and closer every day to the same situation that started all these atrocities against what we in America, have been fighting to protect for over 200 years? We already live in a government state where there is no such thing as privacy, and now they want to take away our rights to decline being ‘branded’ as animals with their vaccines. Does anyone have any idea just how huge the pharmaceutical lobby is in Washington DC???
Thank you for that. This isn’t about left or right.
Too many people just have been propagandized into believing that vaccines are 100 safe — and any disease automatically becomes deadly if they develop a vaccine for it. I grew up in the 1950s and everyone got the measles. It was miserable but we all got through it. I was able to pass my lifetime immunity to my nursing babies via breast milk.
Now vaccine immunity is known to be temporary but no one knows how temporary…