Standard_Gauge t1_iwvgouv wrote
Reply to comment by Surly_Cynic in As measles outbreak sickens dozens of children in Ohio, local health officials seek help from CDC | CNN by Surly_Cynic
Measles doesn't float through the air between houses magically infecting people. It requires a carrier who sneezes on or touches people who are unvaccinated. Unvaccinated children who ARE old enough to be vaccinated contract measles and spread it to infants and other unvaccinated persons.
People who refuse to vaccinate their children who then cause severe infection in those who can't be vaccinated should be held responsible and face consequences.
Surly_Cynic OP t1_iwvj4bk wrote
Yes, it sounds like back in June the parents of a toddler who was several months past eligibility for her first dose took her on a trip to Somalia, maybe, and she contracted measles while there. It's possible that was the start of the community spread and it's only just now being identified.
I'm suspecting Somalia because it's currently experiencing a large number of measles cases, second only to India. Couple that with Columbus having the second-largest Somali community in U.S. and you end up with a challenging situation. I hope the public health authorities can get a handle on this soon.
acutehypoburritoism t1_iwvnr3y wrote
You are correct, I’m in Columbus and the daycares/schools affected primarily serve Somali communities. That being said, these folks are a minority. I’m in the medical field and have seen far more Somali families taking great care of their children (including following vaccination schedules etc) than not. Really hoping these kiddos pull through, and also that this doesn’t result in indiscriminate hatred being directed at our Somali neighbors.
Edited to add: these families are often ones who encounter systemic barriers to seeking healthcare, and desperately want to do the right things for their children but are not able to afford costs, take time off work to make appointments, or sometimes even be sure that language translation services are available. I volunteer at a free clinic and see folks regularly for late night appointments because that’s the only time they have to see physicians. Blaming only the families in this case isn’t totally accurate, there are likely a lot of systemic failures that have factored into this outcome as well.
Surly_Cynic OP t1_iwvq01s wrote
Oh, yes, didn't mean to suggest it was anything other than a minority of parents. And I tend to believe that even the vast majority of the parents who may be struggling to take great care of their kids are not doing so due to ill intent or intentional neglect. I think it's likely an indication of systemic issues rather than individual parental failure.
Also, don't want any hatred at all to be directed toward the Somali community. My only reason for bringing it up is that there will never be solutions to the problems if people don't talk about what's actually happening.
acutehypoburritoism t1_iwvr4vx wrote
Oh no that’s not at all how your comment came off! I just wanted to confirm your suspicions and back up your concerns as someone who’s privy to this issue firsthand. I wish everyone had as thoughtful an approach as you have shown with your reflections.
It’s especially unfortunate timing- Columbus is dealing with a massive surge of RSV, and our local children’s hospital has been so overwhelmed that we are now starting to get overflow patients at the adult ED I’ve been working at this past month. It’s a rough time for all of us, and your approach is reassuring. Folks, get your flu shots too- this is a bad season and I’ve had to hospitalize more previously healthy adults for flu symptom management than I’ve expected, unfortunately we are just getting started. Stay healthy!
Surly_Cynic OP t1_iwvrzi8 wrote
I hear things have been rough but I bet it's harder than us civilians can even imagine. Hang in there. My daughter got sick a couple weeks back. Turned out she had Covid and Flu A at the same time.
This year is crazy and I'm also worried that the worst is yet to come. Someone in my local sub posted this week about pertussis running through their family. The scary thing is their child had been vaccinated only a few months ago and the parents were both vaccinated about a year ago and they still got sick.
Surly_Cynic OP t1_iwvqwgm wrote
Wholeheartedly agree with your edit. And thank you for volunteering to help these families out!
One thing consistent in the CDC studies they publish every year on vaccine coverage is that the most undervaccinated kids are those living in poverty.
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