Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has declared a public health emergency following the outbreak of measles in the state. Over 31 cases of measles were confirmed in Clark County, and there are fears the infectious disease could spread to Oregon which borders the county. Almost all the confirmed cases involved children aged 1-10 years, mostly people who were not vaccinated against the disease.
The measles outbreak was first reported in the state on January 18.
Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease that can prove fatal in children. It is a viral infection that is marked by distinct red spots followed by a rash. It is so contagious that when an infected person coughs, others around him could get invariably infected unless they are vaccinated. And the infected person could spread the disease wherever they go.
Victims of the disease in Clark County visited schools, hospitals, churches, parks and other public places – further endangering people who subsequently visit these places. This makes the situation more worrisome because Oregon and Washington among a few other states allow parents to exempt their children from vaccination for religious, health and moral reasons.
It is almost impossible to get infected with the disease where children get shots of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Vaccines are compulsory for children going to school in all 50 U.S. states, but 18 states have legislation that provides for parents to exempt their children from vaccination for philosophical, religious and medical reasons.
Jennifer Reich, a sociologist with University of Colorado, Denver, said some states make it compulsory for individuals who access public resources such as schools, camps and health facilities to forgo their personal convictions for vaccination exemptions. Incidentally, counties and states where people exercise their rights to not get vaccinated witness the highest incidents of measles outbreak.
Some people blame state governments for allowing exceptions to vaccinations, saying parents take advantage of lax regulatory environments to refuse vaccinations.
“Measles was eliminated from the US in 2000, but it’s been allowed to return,” said Peter Hotez, a infectious diseases researcher at Baylor College of Medicine, largely due to “ignorant and cowardly state legislatures, and a failure by governments to mount a pro-vaccine advocacy campaign.”
