A school-aged child died from measles in Texas, the first death associated with the disease since 2015.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that the death was associated with the measles outbreak in the South Plains and Panhandle regions.
As of Feb. 20, 93 measles cases were reported across Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas, according to the CDC.
Seeing the rise in anti-vaxxers over the past decade has always concerned me, but seeing these cases occurring shows me how harmful this situation can become for so many.
While I understand that there can be fears over vaccines, it upsets me that someone’s choice not to vaccinate themselves or their families can impact hundreds, if not millions, of people.
The issue with not getting vaccinated is that not everyone gets that choice. The CDC says that severely immunocompromised people shouldn’t receive vaccines. Along with infants, these people can’t be vaccinated safely.
However, as a healthy person, deciding not to be vaccinated means risking the safety of those who can’t. The University of Oxford explains herd immunity, which is when a high percentage of the population gets vaccinated and, therefore, can’t spread a disease as quickly.
They explain that immunocompromised people and babies rely on herd immunity for their safety.
After a decade of no measles-related deaths, there’s now one, showing that our country’s herd immunity is dropping. While this causes immediate dangers to those unvaccinated, it also can lead to putting the immunocompromised in harm’s way.
While there’s no humane way to mandate those able to get vaccinated for deadly diseases, I think it’s scary that their decisions impact the safety of many in the community at large.
Implementing more education on herd immunity and understanding why getting vaccinated is important for both individuals and those who are immunocompromised. Still, seeing as though RFK Jr. is the health secretary, I don’t see that happening any time soon.
I have growing concerns over the state of our country’s health, and seeing a child die from a disease that could have been avoided is heartbreaking.
Kate Beske is a 22-year-old journalism senior from Destrehan, La.
