VACCINATIONS
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IAL INSE
The Importance of
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PE
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IFAX H
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an, MD
By Margaret G. Crossm
The recent measles outbreak in In a given year, more measles cases can occur due to
Washington State has rekindled KPETGCUGUKPVJGPWODGTQHVTCXGNGTUYJQIGVOGCUNGU
the national discussion about the abroad and bring it into the United States and/or further
importance of vaccinations. URTGCFQHOGCUNGUKP75EQOOWPKVKGUYKVJRQEMGVUQH
If you missed seeing the media
MARGARET G. CROSSMAN, MD
stories on this earlier in the year,
unvaccinated people.
As several measles outbreaks in the U.S. in recent years have
here’s a brief synopsis. As of February 12, 54 measles cases UJQYPXCEEKPGRTGXGPVCDNGFKUGCUGUECPDGCVJTGCVVQQWT
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unvaccinated children under age 10. The Centers for Disease are generally enough to prevent an outbreak, but vaccination
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FGƂPGF rates have fallen across the U.S. One reason for the decline
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CDC also reports that from January 1 to February 7, 2019, 101
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Three Reasons Why Vaccinations Are Important
1- Vaccines Work. Just using the measles vaccine as an
What Is Measles?
Measles is a contagious virus that spreads through the air GZCORNGKPVJGFGECFGDGHQTGYJGPCXCEEKPGDGECOG
via coughing and sneezing. Symptoms such as high fever, YGTG7RVQHQWTOKNNKQPRGQRNGKPVJG7PKVGF5VCVGUYGTG
body rash, stuffy nose and reddened eyes typically disappear KPHGEVGFGCEJ[GCT#RRTQZKOCVGN[RGQRNGFKGF
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complications such as pneumonia, according to the CDC. about 97 percent effective at preventing measles if someone
available, nearly all children got the measles by the time they
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