Negligence in measles vaccination increase infections in U.S children

According to a research giving prominence to the danger of parents neglecting the vaccinations of kids, a drop of just 5% in vaccinations of measles can boost the chances of infections in young children in the United States. Researchers claim that commonly, 93% of children who are in the age group of 2 to 11 years get their vaccination for measles. According to an estimate made by researchers, if the rate of vaccination reduced to 88% it will lead to around 150 cases of measles additionally per year  and the government will have to provide health programs costing $2.1 million, excluding hospital expenses.

Nathan Lo, study co-author of Stanford University School of Medicine in California expressed that high rates of parents deciding to avoid vaccinations for kids could help them analyze the outcome of a slight drop in the cases associated with measles comprehensively, however, it was realized by him that such a drop in vaccinations can affect the ‘herd Immunity’ and can lead to increased cases of measles.

Measles is considered as a virus that is extremely contagious and can even be lethal. Common symptoms are fever lasting a couple days, runny nose, pink eyes and cough. A rash builds up on the neck and face spreading to the whole body. It is claimed that the virus can stay up to two hours on a surface where an infected person might have coughed or sneezed. People can be infected by it they touch the infected surface and then touch their nose, mouth or eyes.

MaimunaMajumder, who is a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, believes that the rate of vaccinations should be increased further than just statewide or nationally as according to him, outbreaks take place in communities. Certain people do not take vaccinations for medical reasons like people who have a weak immune system or have been allergic to vaccinations or people who have cancer and women who are pregnant. It is said that even a slight reduction in vaccination rates for measles can affect the overall rates of measles cases as it an extremely contagious virus.