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It’s all too real even today, however that might not be the cause of current measles outbreaks.
Measles was eradicated from the US years ago, thanks to high vaccination rates. However that means most people have never seen measles so there is a fringe belief that it’s not harmful or the vaccination is more harmful, and vaccination rates have been declining to the point we could get a larger epidemic.
We do have localized measles outbreaks many years but they’ve usually been attributed to a new infection from overseas and a very local community insufficiently vaccinated. Sometimes the population is from places where they’re not vaccinated, sometimes it’s a vulnerable population. While yes, it can also be from fringe anti-vax groups, I really think the bigger fear is whether those fringe groups open a path to much wider outbreaks or epidemics.
Some actually believe that it makes their children's immune system stronger.
If they survive and don’t infect others.
That’s back to the problem where we essentially eradicated diseases like measles. Most people have no first or even second hand experience with the suffering, they have never heard of anyone dying. Some of us can look at statistics and case studies to get a better understanding of the consequences, but it’s too abstract for all too many. How can we make the suffering real, concrete, enough for those people without actually causing harm?
It’s also the problem where too many people can only think of themselves. With an infectious disease, what about all the other people you come into contact with? Especially those who are more vulnerable? My immune system fought off covid so I’m not too worried about myself next time but what about my parents? What about a stranger with a compromised immune system? What if I spread it to someone but they have parents or grandparents or a loved one with compromised immune system?
This was especially a problem with chicken pox, and I certainly fell prey to it as well. I grew up where chicken pox just ran through your family and then you were immune. Importantly I never heard of any lasting consequences nor the connection to Shingles. Why would you vaccinate? Just let your immune system handle it.
It was much later that I saw there is permanent harm and even death from chicken pox. Most importantly I learned about Shingles and how prevalent it is among the elderly.