Editor:
Sadly, the United States is on track to lose its measles elimination status this year. According to National Public Radio news, the outbreak in South Carolina has hit 847 cases and shows no sign of slowing. Measles is an especially damaging disease because of two factors: it is incredibly contagious, and the complications are awful. The measles virus suppresses the immune system, making the victim more prone to other infections, and can result in subacute sclerosing pan encephalitis (SSPE), which is a rare but fatal degenerative disease that occurs seven to 10 years after the initial infection. Blindness is another potential outcome.
One might argue that people who choose not to vaccinate are making a choice and if they suffer consequences as a result then that is worth the price of individual freedom. Unfortunately, there are people who cannot vaccinate, such as infants or those who are immunocompromised from cancer or disease, and they rely on our vaccinations to keep them safe.
Our public health is being degraded and mismanaged by the current administration. The Centers for Disease Control has lost all credibility among physicians and now promotes harmful advice that contrasts medical specialty guidelines and recommendations. Among other health travesties, the Trump administration will have the distinctive legacy of presiding over the largest measles outbreak in our country since 2000 when measles was declared eliminated. As a physician who has spent her career working to improve the health of our community’s children, it is sad and discouraging to see our nation’s health deteriorating.
Emily Dalton M.D., Eureka
This article appears in Arcata Rises Up for Fire Victims.