High fever, cough, and a distinctive rash. All symptoms of a disease that we thought were behind us.
A disease previously eliminated in the United States in 2000, measles is making a disturbing comeback. As of July 22, there have been 1,319 cases in the country this year, 8 of which have been confirmed in Iowa.
Although the numbers may seem relatively low, there is no telling the progression of this disease, as there have already been 29 outbreaks within the U.S., and if the COVID-19 pandemic showed anything about public reaction, it was how preventable diseases can escalate when politicized.
Of the total cases this year, 92 percent were unvaccinated. In the decade before the introduction of the measles vaccine, there were 400 to 500 deaths per year, making the MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella) vaccine crucial in preventing the illness from exacerbating.
But as the cases rise, anti-science rhetoric gains both attention and support. It’s not just misguided, it is dangerous.
Attitudes against science, especially vaccines, have been a concern within the medical field since the origin of vaccines themselves. When the MMRV was first introduced to the public, those in opposition feared that it would harm their children and was linked to autism. Although countless scientific studies have found no correlation between the two, speculation remained.
And now, with the Trump administration dominating the media, namely U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., public unease is not likely to diminish.
Both Trump and Kennedy have continuously questioned health officials, expressing skepticism on all fronts, including vaccine safety and efficacy.
Kennedy, in the last few days, announced that he plans to remove all members of the U.S Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). And just last month, he fired all members of the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice (ACIP) – a committee that makes vaccine recommendations. Their replacements? Known vaccine critics.
People in America were never fully compliant with infection protocol. The COVID-19 pandemic is a great example. With misinformation and emotions at a high, vaccine hesitancy seemed to increase among the public. Now, with measles, it won’t be much different, unless we recognize and follow the science-based protocol.
“Initially, people don’t recognize the conditions of disease, and by the time it gets out in the news or is acknowledged, it’s already too late, and at one point they’ve already been, unknowingly or knowingly, exposed,” Dr. Sumbul Meraj of infectious diseases at BJC Healthcare stated.
She continued, “ People didn’t even want to pull a mask over their nose, how are you going to avoid measles when it is spread by droplets and contact?
A recent study determined that approximately 30 percent of Americans are anti-vax or at least hesitant, particularly in conservative groups. Yet, the susceptibility rate for measles increases by 90 percent for those without the MMRV vaccine.
Iowa Health and Human Services officials have clearly stated what should be common sense in the first place. Get vaccinated. But with resistance from the top of the government, getting people to comply only gets harder.
Johnson County confirmed one case earlier this month, increasing the exposure rate for students at the University of Iowa. Thankfully, Iowa students are required to submit records of two MMR vaccines, but prevention is not the only answer. Alerting officials of measles-like symptoms and being careful while travelling is also a part of battling this outbreak.
While students and health officials can take action, national leadership has the power to either support or sabotage public health. And now, with Kennedy in charge of making regulations, access and support to reliable vaccine guidance and policy are changing for the worse.