Jilly Moss’ baby pictures have been shared millions of times on the internet, which is exactly what she wants. These are not the customary cute newborn pictures, but rather stark photos of her baby covered in the red rash caused by measles. In her post, she explained her daughter was vulnerable to infection because she had an infant’s still-underdeveloped immune system and was too young for the vaccine. Moss, who lives in England, posted the graphic pictures after her daughter spent eight days in the hospital. She says she wanted other parents to see that the measles is, in her words, not “just a rash,” but a disease with potentially devastating consequences.
I remember having measles when I was a kid. Like me, most healthy people who get measles can and do fully recover. Today, vaccinated adults are immunized for life and can fend off the virus, which is especially easy to transfer from an infected person, lingering in the air and resting on surfaces. But for adults and children with a weak immune system, like Jilly Moss’ newborn, measles is dangerous and possibly life-threatening. How is it okay for people who have a choice to choose to put everybody else at risk?
Answer: It’s not. Doctors have documented 100,000 cases of measles worldwide, an outbreak they say is directly linked to unvaccinated travelers, some of them returning to America and spreading it. There are now more and more unvaccinated children among us, largely because of the so called anti-vaxxers who believe the MMR, or measles vaccine, is not safe. That’s despite the many studies and the clinical evidence to the contrary. Couple those with people who reject it for religious reasons, and it’s easy to see how the number of measles cases in the U.S. has risen to more than 700, including one confirmed case in Massachusetts. It’s tricky business in this country to suggest that someone, and especially government, should tell an American how to live. It’s why the concept of eminent domain sticks in the craw of a lot of people. Yes, there is a greater good at stake, but many would argue that it should never come at the expense of citizens’ individual rights. That’s why, I’m sorry to say, I don’t think there will be significant outrage about those who’ve refused to vaccinate until someone dies or is significantly compromised by the virus. But I don’t want to wait until then.
Nearly 20 years ago, scientists were able to declare measles essentially stamped out. Now, it’s come roaring back because of our social amnesia — our inability to remember how bad it was before there was a vaccine. It’s tough enough battling diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer, for which there are currently no cures or proven preventions.
It’s time for vaccination exemptions to be eliminated. For the people who claim mandatory vaccination violates their civil rights, I say: It’s not just about you anymore. We all have to figure out how to live together. We have a tool that works, so let’s use it — for all of our protection.
