By Elizabeth C.

Over the past decade, not vaccinating one’s child has become an increasingly common trend among parents. Some deem inoculation as “government propaganda,” or believe that it will make children develop disorders such as autism. However, when an epidemic like the measles outbreak in Washington state this past week takes place, anti-vaccination’s many dangers are greatly accentuated.

As of last Sunday, 36 cases of measles were recorded in the state of Washington. 31 of the cases affect those who had not been given the measles vaccine, and 25 of the cases affect children ages one through 10. Symptoms induced from the virus include a body-wide rash, a stuffy nose, and a high fever, but up to 40% of patients will even face further complications from measles. The most prevalent of complications is pneumonia, which in young children is the most common cause of death from the ailment.  

Statistics from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 1 to 2 out of 1000 children will face fatality from complications due to the measles virus, and with the rising number of unvaccinated children in the U.S, the lives of youth are now being risked, jeopardized, all to avoid the unproven dangers of vaccination.

According to the Washington Post, 7.9% of kindergartners in Clark County, Washington, haven’t been immunized at all, resulting in 35 cases of the outbreak. This number is causing public health officials to imagine how disastrous the outbreak truly is, as the outbreak has now been declared a public health emergency. Hopefully, the outbreak serves as a way for some anti-vaxxers to finally question their methodology and to reflect on if the decisions they make are what is truly what is best for their children.