Since it was declared excluded in the US in 2000, many cases have been reported this year, and many cases have been reported this year.
This unfortunate record is a declining vaccination rate in childhood, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some people may believe there is nothing to worry about when they are personally vaccinated. But is individual protection sufficient when infectious diseases begin to multiply? How will a decline in vaccination rate lead to a return of previously excluded illnesses? Are only children affected, or can adults also see the shock? Who is at the highest risk if the overall population is low? And what can we do to prevent this possibility?
To get some answers, I spoke with Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN wellness expert. WEN is an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University. She was previously a health committee member in Baltimore.
CNN: Could a lower vaccination rate lead to the return of excluded diseases?
Dr. Wen’s Childhood: yes. There are many examples all over the world. In a once-polio-free country, polio has been caused by the disruption of childhood vaccination programs caused by war and conflict. The outbreak of measles occurred in countries where measles was eliminated due to reduced vaccine coverage.
In fact, this is what we see in the US today. Texas has confirmed 753 measles cases since January. According to the Texas Department of State Health Department, 98 of these patients were hospitalized and two children died. This outbreak is believed to have occurred in communities with low vaccination rates.
What happens if vaccination rates in childhood drop even further? A recent study published in JAMA predicts that a 10% reduction in the scope of the measles-mumps-rubera (MMR) vaccine could lead to more than 11 million measles infections over 25 years. A 50% reduction in routine childhood vaccinations could result in 51 million measles cases, 9.9 million rubella cases and 4.3 million polio cases.
This prediction also included the number of people affected by the serious outcomes of these diseases. There are 10.3 million people in the US hospital, 159,200 people could die, 5,400 people could experience paralysis from polio, and 51,200 could have neurological consequences from measles.
CNN: Is it only for people who have not been vaccinated? If someone gets vaccinated, should you worry if others are not connected?
Wen: They still need to worry for three main reasons.
First, many vaccinations provide excellent protection against disease, but still have the potential to be a breakthrough infection. This means that the vaccine does not provide 100% protection. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% protected from measles infection, a prominent level of protection. But it’s not 100%, so if someone is exposed to measles, there’s still a chance they’ll get infected. However, vaccinations significantly reduce the chances of infection. I have a severe illness If they get infected. The more diseases there are in the community, the more likely it is to be exposed or infected.
Second, the effectiveness of the vaccine may decline somewhat over time. For example, according to the CDC, immunity to pertussis (also known as pertussis) begins to fade a few years after vaccination. Elderly people who were vaccinated as children years ago may be more susceptible to the revival of a previously managed childhood illness.
Third, people who are unable to benefit from vaccination are directly themselves. Some people are unable to receive a specific vaccine due to certain medical conditions. For example, people with weakened immune systems may not be able to ingest the MMR vaccine because they contain a weakened form of the virus.
Also, some people may have medical conditions that are less effective in protecting vaccines. These individuals rely on other societies, those who can receive the vaccine – to prevent these diseases from spreading.
CNN: What about pregnant people? Are there some vaccines that they can’t get?
Wen: This is another good point. Take rubella or German measles. Pregnant individuals are unable to receive the MMR vaccine because they contain a live virus. However, rubella is particularly dangerous during pregnancy.
In addition to increasing the risk of miscarriage and death, rubella can lead to a condition called congenital rubella syndrome, which can cause many birth defects, including heart problems, brain damage, hearing loss, and diseases of the lungs, liver, eye, and thyroid. Before the vaccine was introduced, every 1,000 people born under this condition had as many as four babies born, according to the World Health Organization. Rubella remains the main cause of vaccine-preventable birth defects.
Pregnant patients should not receive other vaccines from birth. Water cell, a vaccine against Chicken Pox, is another of these vaccines. People should receive the vaccine before they become pregnant, ideally as part of their daily childhood vaccinations. Others can also help reduce community illness by vaccinating themselves.
CNN: Who is at the highest risk if the overall population is low?
Wen: There are three groups that I worry most. First, they are newborns too young to be vaccinated. They are also the most medically fragile. Anything that has a mild cold for older children and healthy adults can be sent to the hospital.
The second is people with immunodeficiency. This is a large group, including patients undergoing cancer treatment, transplant patients, and patients taking immunosuppressant medications. These individuals are more likely to develop severe illness when exposed to illness. Vaccines may not protect them either, or they may not be eligible to receive a particular vaccine, as mentioned above.
The third is the elderly. As we have discussed many times about Covid-19, these are individuals who are more susceptible to severe illness due to their age and underlying medical conditions. It could put them at a higher risk if there are more diseases in the community due to the lower range of vaccines, combined with the possibility of immunity from a particular vaccine.
CNN: What can you do to prevent this possibility?
Wen: Everyone should talk to their primary care providers to make sure they are up to date with the recommended vaccines. Parents of young children should do this with their family pediatricians, and adults should always talk to their family doctors and internal medicine doctors.
The reason for doing this is primarily to ensure you are well protected. If you qualify for additional booster doses, you may consider getting them. Alternatively, if you are not eligible for some vaccines and are susceptible to certain diseases, you should know this and take precautions accordingly.
There’s another reason. The whole concept of immunity in the population relies on us all playing our role to keep disease at bay. It protects us – and the others around us include people who are particularly vulnerable to severe illnesses and death.
