Measles Back in the Spotlight

Transcription

1 Emmanuel Bilodeau was returning home to Vancouver, B.C. with his family. They had been on a holiday in Vietnam. During the flight, his 11-year-old son started feeling ill. He had a fever. Soon after, his two brothers also showed symptoms. After several hospital visits, the problem was diagnosed measles. By then, others at the school the boys attended had been infected by the disease. In all, eighteen people ended up with measles from that one outbreak. Going Viral is a highly contagious viral disease. It is easily spread by coughing or sneezing. It often infects others before people even know they are sick. Definitions usually starts with a fever and cold symptoms. Then, people develop a rash. Rare complications include pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, seizures, deafness, brain damage, and death. vaccine is still common in many developing countries. Globally, it is the fourth leading cause of death in children under five. Before vaccines were widely used, measles was a common childhood disease in Canada, too. But a vaccine that protects against measles has been used here for more than 50 years. It is safe, and it works. Because of the vaccine, Canada was declared measles-free in Worldwide, vaccination campaigns have reduced the number of measles deaths by 80 percent over the past two decades, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. Between 2000 and 2017 alone, vaccines prevented more than 21 million deaths. Did you know? Vaccines can cause side effects, but these are almost always mild and harmless. There is less than a one in one million chance of an allergic reaction to a vaccine. Herd Immunity So why are there still measles outbreaks in Canada? Health officials say new cases occur when unvaccinated travellers become infected overseas, then return home. The disease spreads among Canadians developing countries: countries with fewer industries and more poverty relative to other countries World HEalth Organization (WHO): a United Nations agency to coordinate international health activities and to help governments improve health services 2018/2019: Issue 7 What in the world? Le vel 1 Page 26

2 because not enough people are vaccinated. If 95 percent of the population has received the measles vaccine, the virus is unable to spread. Why? Because it can t find anyone to infect. This is called herd immunity. It s important because not everyone can be vaccinated. Babies less than a year old are too young. Patients who have weakened immune systems should not get the vaccine, either. But if there s herd immunity, then the chances of a few unvaccinated people coming into contact with the virus is very, very small. Trouble in the herd In Canada, most parents immunize their children. However, some don t. And in recent years, the number of unvaccinated children has grown. Close to 95 percent of Canadians used to be vaccinated. Now, just 89 percent are. Globally, about 85 percent of people have received the measles vaccine. That s why the disease is making a comeback. A report published in November 2018 found a 31-percent rise in worldwide measles cases in That led to the deaths of more than 110,000 people. Most of them were children under age five. Definitions debunk: to cause to be no longer believed or valued One-third of all measles deaths occurred in India. There were also disease spikes in Venezuela, Brazil, and Israel. Even the European Union saw 64,000 measles cases and 72 deaths in Anti-vaxxers Why would parents decide not to immunize their children? The reasons vary. Some groups opt out for religious reasons. Other anti-vaxxers decide not to vaccinate because they don t believe vaccines are safe or necessary. There is plenty of false information online to support these beliefs. Myths linking vaccines to numerous medical conditions were debunked long ago. However, they continue to spread on platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. Serious problem Some health experts believe that through social media, anti-vaxxers are influencing other parents not to vaccinate their kids. That s helping to spread a dangerous disease. This is huge, says Fuyuki Kurasawa of Toronto s York University. It s a war around the truth and around information and it s a major public health crisis. How vaccines work The MMR vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. The vaccine contains weakened forms of the viruses. This small dose cannot give you any of those diseases. But it does get your immune system to start creating antibodies. The antibodies destroy the vaccine viruses just as they would the disease viruses. These antibodies stay with you for a long time and remember how to fight off the virus. If the real disease enters your body in the future, the antibodies are ready to fight it off before it has a chance to make you sick. Other diseases that vaccines can prevent include cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, and tetanus. What s the solution? Health officials can no longer just put out the truth and the facts. They need to make better use of social media themselves. We recognize we need to do more, says Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada s Chief Public Health Officer. I am very concerned to see vaccine-preventable diseases make a comeback in Canada and around the globe. J 2018/2019: Issue 7 What in the world? Le vel 1 Page 27

3 ON THE LINES Answer the following in complete sentences: 1. Explain what measles is. 2. What are the symptoms and complications of this disease? 3. Explain how a vaccine works. 4. What are the risks of getting a vaccine? 5. When was a measles vaccine first used? 6. How many deaths has this vaccine prevented in recent years? 7. What percentage of people need to be vaccinated for herd immunity to occur? 8. Why is herd immunity important to prevent the spread of disease? Explain. 9. Why is the number of measles cases increasing? Explain. 2018/2019: Issue 7 What in the world? Le vel 1 Page 28

4 BETWEEN THE LINES An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence. A good inference is supported by evidence in the article and is consistent with known facts outside the article. What inference(s) can you draw from the fact that the measles virus is still common in developing countries? JUST TALK ABOUT IT 1. What measures can you suggest that the government could take to encourage all Canadian parents to vaccinate their children? Explain. 2. A few doctors in the U.S. are refusing to treat unvaccinated patients. What reasons can you suggest to explain their position? For what reasons do you agree with this position? For what reasons do you disagree? 3. One of the largest homeopathic colleges in Canada has promoted unscientific, false claims about the dangers of vaccines, and advocates the use of ineffective alternatives called nosodes. If you were the Minister of Health, how would you handle this college s actions? Explain. ONLINE Note: The links below are listed at for easy access. 1. Watch a 12-minute New York Times documentary called Vaccines: An Unhealthy Skepticism that explores how the media and celebrities have played a powerful role in spreading misinformation about vaccines at [12:22] 2. See the top ten vaccine infographics according to the Colorado Childrens Immunization Coalition at J 2018/2019: Issue 7 What in the world? Le vel 1 Page 29

5 Editorial Cartoon measles YOUR TASK: Examine the editorial cartoon, then answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper: 1. What do you already know about the measles outbreak in Vancouver? 2. Describe what you see and read in the cartoon. 3. As you see it, what might the cartoonist be saying about vaccinations? Explain. 4. For what reasons do you agree with the cartoonist s perspective? For what reasons do you disagree? J 2018/2019: Issue 7 What in the world? Le vel 1 Page 30

6 QUESTIONS outbreak! Vaccinations to the Rescue A. Write the letter that corresponds to the best answer on the line beside each question: 1. What does the body s immune system produce when a person is vaccinated? a) skin rash b) antibodies c) antibiotics d) dehydration 2. Which country is most affected by measles? a) Pakistan b) India c) Israel d) Venezuela 3. If 95 percent of the population is immunized, this is called a) herd immunity b) side effect c) incubation period d) vaccination therapy B. Mark the statements below T (True) or F (False). If a statement is True, write one important fact or detail on the line below. If it is False, write the correct version on the line below. 4. True or False? is the fourth leading cause of death among children under the age of five. 5. True or False? Allergic reactions to vaccines are common. 6. True or False? Babies under one year old are usually vaccinated against measles. C. Fill in the blanks to complete each sentence. 7. usually starts with and cold symptoms followed by a skin rash. 8. is still common in many countries. 9. People opposed to immunization are called anti-. D. Respond to the following question in paragraph form. (Use a separate sheet of paper if necessary.) What advice would you give to a parent who is planning not to immunize his or her child? Give reasons to support your response. 2018/2019: Issue 7 What in the world? Le vel 1 Page 31