A measles outbreak at Disneyland last month has now led to 85 cases in seven states. Health officials blame unvaccinated individuals for spreading the disease, though it is unclear exactly with whom the outbreak began. Of the 34 cases originally identified in southern California with a clear vaccination history, 28 had not been vaccinated.
Though some come close, vaccines don’t offer 100 percent immunity for a lifetime. There are always some kids who get the vaccination and still become infected. Some health experts believe catching and overcoming some disease provides better immunity.
Barbara Loe Fisher at the National Vaccine Information Center wrote on the center’s website: “Americans born before 1957 have naturally acquired immunity to measles and we passed antibodies on to our babies when they were born to protect them from measles during the first year of life. Because naturally acquired measles antibodies are different from vaccine antibodies, young vaccinated Moms today cannot give longer lasting naturally acquired measles antibodies to their newborns.”
At the other end of the debate are officials who fear an epidemic because more parents want off the vaccination bandwagon. A spokesman for the California health department told Reuters “that unvaccinated individuals have been the principal factor” of the Disneyland outbreak.
