The article highlights the ongoing measles outbreak in the Southwest, resulting in two deaths among unvaccinated individuals, one being a healthy 6-year-old. With 223 cases reported in West Texas and a cluster in New Mexico linked to these cases, the need for vaccination is emphasized. Experts like William Schaffner and Jess Steier stress the importance of understanding measles' risks, not just mortality rates, but also severe complications it can cause, especially in unvaccinated individuals. Thankfully, an effective MMR vaccine is available to prevent infection and its serious consequences.
"Measles is not a trivial disease," Schaffner reminds me. Although measles, the most contagious virus, doesn't have a super high mortality rate, it sends 20% of unvaccinated people to the hospital with serious complications."
"We shouldn't only be talking about death," says Jess Steier. "We want to avoid infection at all costs." The complications from measles can be severe, especially for unvaccinated children.
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