When people do not vaccinate their children, these things happen - from the Duluth, Minnesota News Tribune:
Measles outbreak at 32, with Somali-Minnesota children hit hard
A Ramsey County child is among 32 confirmed cases of the measles this month as unfounded fears of a link to autism have contributed to stubbornly low vaccination rates among Somali-Americans.
The Minnesota Department of Health says at least 28 of the outbreak's victims are Somali-American. Just one is known to have received the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
And the reason?
Somali-Americans in Minnesota once had higher vaccination rates than the general population. But that changed following news reports in 2008 about high rates of autism among Somali-American students in Minneapolis Public Schools.
Kris Ehresmann, infectious disease division director at the Health Department, said anti-vaccine activists seized on the 2008 news "almost immediately," spreading fears about a debunked link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
I really hope that Andy Wakefield comes to grips with the damage he has done. Revoking his Medical License should have beeen just the first step - charges should be filed.
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