I don’t know if I got a measles vaccine in the ’60’s, or if it covered the mumps or rubella. Either John Kennedy or Lyndon Johnson would have been president when it happened. But let’s say I got that shot over a half-century ago.
Now it’s 2025, and measles is BACK, baby! Fueled by anti-vaccine disinformation, the drop in vaccination rate has fallen below the level needed to maintain herd immunity. Confirmed infections (always fewer than the real total) are in the hundreds, with some popping up in Florida, Texas, and Minnesota. Basically anywhere jets can reach.
You are probably safe if your community is under a glass dome and no one can go in or out; the rest of us need to made a decision.
Measles is nasty. It isn’t just a rash; it can cause blindness, deafness, even encephalitis and death. It can also screw with your immune system, making you more vulnerable to other diseases. A vaccine gives your immune system a heads-up to watch for it, so you can stomp it before it takes over.
People who work in an education (raises hand) or health care environment are advised to get either one or two boosters respectively. Older folk (raises hand) who would be severely impacted by a case of measles should get it. And of course, vaccinate your kids if you have not already.
Mumps and rubella are also very bad, which is why the three are bundled in one life-saving shot. And the life you save, may be someone you never even meet.
If you were vaccinated in the 80’s or after, and you work in a low-risk environment, you’re probably fine. (Obligatory ‘ask your doctor’.)
I went to CVS and they were out. “We’ve been having a run on this one recently,” the pharmacist said. They put in an order and I came back the next day. My arm is a teeny bit sore, though different people will have different reactions.
- No, vaccines do not cause autism. Also, autism is probably genetic and it’s more of a common neurotype than a ‘disease.’ Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism
- Interview with Dr. Peter Hotez about his new book, mysteriously titled Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel’s Autism
- American Society for Microbiology: Measles and Immune Amnesia
- A child has died, and she certainly won’t be the last. The Atlantic: His Daughter was America’s first measles death in a decade
- NPR: With Measles In The News, Adults Are Wondering; ‘Do I Need A Vaccine Booster?’
georgewiman 