Measles is Back and Could Affect a Child Near You
For five decades we thought the U.S. had beaten the measles, the most contagious virus on the planet. It’s also potentially deadly. Even a mild case of measles means at least four days out of school, putting a significant burden on working parents.
Now, for a variety of preventable reasons, measles is coming back with a vengeance in some parts of the country, and it’s only a matter of time before it comes for Detroit’s children if our vaccination rates don’t improve.
MMR vaccination rates for kids 4 and older in Detroit have fallen to 89%. According to the Centers for Disease Control, you need at least 95% of children vaccinated to create “herd immunity,” meaning even the unvaccinated will be protected. An outbreak here is inevitable unless parents make sure that their children get this safe and effective vaccine that’s been around since 1971.
