More measles cases found in California

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More measles cases have been found in California, health officials said Friday.

Figures released by the California Department of Public Health showed there are now 91 confirmed cases in the state, up from 79 on Wednesday.

Of those, 58 infections have been linked to visits to Disneyland or contact with a sick person who went there.

Half a dozen states and Mexico also have recorded measles cases connected to Disneyland.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/c103497b6b1e419a96e02ad5cb113b83/more-measles-cases-found-california

[Arcadiasix]

1. I'm not saying that immunization doesn't have risks. It does.

But the benefits far out weight them. You have better odd being vaccinated. Ask a man who's Uncle never got to run in his life. He got Polio when he was 13 months old.

[proverbialwisdom]

2. CBS NEWS / Pediatrician: Dangers of measles outbreak being "over promoted"

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pediatrician-delaying-measles-vaccine-outbreak-have-anecdotal-data/

CBS NEWS

January 29, 2015, 5:47 PM
​Pediatrician: Dangers of measles outbreak being "over promoted"

VIDEO

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - As the number of measles cases continue to grow across the country, not all medical experts are concerned. Doctor Jay Gordon, a pediatrician in Santa Monica, California, believes the outbreak is being over hyped.

"This is definitely being over promoted as a large and dangerous outbreak," said Dr. Gordon. "Right now we don't have that many cases of measles, and we should speak a little more quietly, we're actually panicking people."

<>

"I think that measles could return to the United States if we stop vaccinating," said Gordon. "I'm not advocating that people stop giving the MMR, I'm advocating that parents have the right to choose how and when they get that vaccine."

Even so, Dr. Gordon doesn't believe the CDC's guidelines are appropriate for all patients. The CDC recommends that children get their first dose of the MMR vaccine between the ages of 12 to 15 months. Dr. Gordon believes the first shot shouldn't be given until the child is at least three years old, but admits he has no scientific evidence to support his belief.

"I have no evidence based medicine, there's no research saying that," said Gordon. "I have anecdotal data that has told me that. Anecdotal data does not stand up to public scrutiny. It's easy to attack. I have had, as I've said, many parents tell me that their child has been harmed by the MMR."

<>

Dr. Gordon says the measles are not to be taken lightly but believes that reports on the current outbreak are wrongly frightening the public.

"The last fatal case of measles in the United States was 11 or 12 years ago," he said. "The complication rate is very low in healthy children."

[NuclearDem]

4. Oh FFS, this asshole is treating kids?!

Even so, Dr. Gordon doesn't believe the CDC's guidelines are appropriate for all patients. The CDC recommends that children get their first dose of the MMR vaccine between the ages of 12 to 15 months. Dr. Gordon believes the first shot shouldn't be given until the child is at least three years old, but admits he has no scientific evidence to support his belief.

"I have no evidence based medicine, there's no research saying that," said Gordon. "I have anecdotal data that has told me that. Anecdotal data does not stand up to public scrutiny. It's easy to attack. I have had, as I've said, many parents tell me that their child has been harmed by the MMR."

These portions say it all: DON'T TRUST THIS FUCKING QUACK.

[enlightenment]

5. Maybe,

just maybe a bit of panic will penetrate the thick skulls of the anti-vaxxers.

Saying that the last fatal case was over a decade ago will be small comfort to the parent's of the next kid that dies from the disease - and death is not the only very serious ramification.

Dr. Gordon needs to shut up. Or maybe retake his qualifying boards - because he seems to have forgotten his basic science.

[Omaha Steve]

6. A different take: Well, Dr. Bob is wrong—measles is serious business. Consider these facts:

http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/01/6-terrifying-facts-about-measles

Snip: 2 Some people who get measles become seriously ill. Before the advent of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, between 3 and 4 million people contracted measles each year in the United States. Of those, 48,000 were hospitalized, 4,000 developed the life-threatening brain condition encephalitis, and 400 to 500 died.

3 Almost everyone needs to be vaccinated for measles in order to protect the most vulnerable people. The epidemiological concept of "herd immunity" means that enough people in a given community are immunized so that people who can't get vaccinated—infants that are too young to receive vaccines, people who can't get vaccinated because their immune systems are not strong enough, and the small number of people for whom the vaccine doesn't work—are protected. The threshold for herd immunity varies by disease; for measles, it's 92 to 94 percent.

4 In some places in the United States, MMR vaccination rates among kindergartners aren't anywhere near the herd immunity threshold. In Marin County, California, only 80 percent of students are up to date on their vaccinations. In Nevada County, California, the figure is 73 percent. New York magazine reported last year that dozens of New York City private schools had immunization rates below 70 percent. (Californians can check rates at individual schools here.)

Snip: 6 Measles could make a major comeback in the United States. It's happened in other developed nations: In the mid-1990s, UK public health officials considered measles eradicated in the country—but in 2008, because of low vaccination rates, measles once again hit endemic status. Between 2008 and 2011, France saw more than 20,000 cases of measles—after virtual elimination of the disease just a few years before.

[proverbialwisdom]

8. Hello, re: #4.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141001455#post73

Read the definitions carefully, please.

[Omaha Steve]

9. I get your point

Flip side is Arizona has an outbreak. 1,000 quarantined. It started with ONE at Disneyland. They have no idea how many might be running around infected with the Super Bowl visitors in town this weekend. With a 21 day incubation time... Contagion?

A high percentage of the herd needs immunization to protect the overall herd.


Same network that has Dr Gordon's comments. Arizona monitoring 1,000 people for measles: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/arizona-monitoring-1000-people-for-measles-linked-to-disneyland/

PHOENIX -- A measles outbreak in Arizona that originated at California's Disney parks is at risk of increasing dramatically in size as health officials keep tabs on 1,000 people, including nearly 200 children who could have been exposed at a Phoenix-area medical center.

Those who haven't been vaccinated are being asked to stay home for 21 days, a standard health practice, or wear masks if they have to go out in public. State Health Services director Will Humble said it's possible but unlikely that the number of cases can be contained at seven.

"To stay in your house for 21 days is hard," he said. "But we need people to follow those recommendations, because all it takes is a quick trip to the Costco before you're ill and, 'bam,' you've just exposed a few hundred people. We're at a real critical juncture with the outbreak."


At least 95 cases of measles have been linked to the outbreak traced to Disney theme parks, according to the California Department of Public Health. Arizona has the second most, after California, with measles confirmed in six other states -- Michigan, Utah, Washington, Colorado, Oregon and Nebraska -- and Mexico. Most of those infected were not vaccinated, and health officials have urged people to get the measles shot.

FULL story and video at link.

[enki23]

10. Dr. Jay Gordon has been at this bullshit for many years now.

This article tries to make him out to be just some local doctor who they contacted. That is utter horseshit.

[Orrex]

3. Thank goodness these kids weren't subjected to the horrors of vaccination

What sensible and well-informed parents they must have!

[christx30]

7. Saw a very sad pro-Vax meme:

Shot of 3 pallbearers loading a tiny coffin. Caption under picture said "At least she didn't have autism."
I thought it was a good ad.

[jwirr]

11. I wonder if any of those cases were pregnant women? Years ago before vaccines that was almost

a given that your baby would have some form of developmental disability. In fact I remember that one of the highest causes of developmental disabilities was getting measles while pregnant. Hopefully there are no cases like that in the 91.

Get your children vaccinated people. I can tell you that caring for a disabled child for 45+ years is not picnic for either you or the child.

[mackerel]

12. A couple of kids in my daughters class went to Disneyland for Christmas Break and came

back with Chicken Pox.

[ALBliberal]

13. Curious

The people coming down with measles have not been vaccinated correct?