66 Unvaxxed California Students Told To ‘Stay Home’ Over Measles Scare, Better Late Than Never
The Desert Sands Unified School District released 66 students who haven’t received the full immunization for measles from Palm Desert High School yesterday. The students are being asked to stay home until the incubation period for contagion is complete. All over these news stories, there are still people spouting the importance of “personal decision,” and saying they think the district has overstepped its bounds. Shut up.
From KESQ:
Officials said they’re making the move to take every precaution to ensure student and staff safety.
Students will be cleared to return to school on February 9 or with confirmation of immunization or proof of resistance as determined by a Titer test, officials said in the release. Clearance to return to school will be determined by the Riverside County Public Heath Department.
Currently there is just one possible occurrence of the measles at the high school, but with so many children either not vaccinated or with incomplete immunizations, the district decided to have the unvaccinated children stay home for their own safety. The student in question has been medically cleared to return to school. Yes, keeping 66 children home is a pretty drastic measure. One that would not have to be taken if the kids were immunized.
It’s so frustrating to see, time and time again when these stories surface, that the general public still does not grasp the concept of “herd immunity.” There is always someone spouting some nonsense about “personal choice” or “if your kid is vaccinated, why are you worried?” Those strongly in favor of vaccinations and SCIENCE worry because we are not only thinking about ourselves. Yes, my children are vaccinated, so I don’t have to worry about them, but I also care about public safety. I care about people with weakened immune systems and infants who cannot be vaccinated yet. Go figure.
With measles cases still increasing in California, the schools have every right to be concerned. Measles is a very contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus and spread through the air, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are now 79 confirmed cases, 52 of those linked to the outbreak at Disneyland. We are seeing how easily disease can spread. It’s infuriating that we have come to this place with a disease that was eliminated before all of this anti-vaxx nonsense started. From the CDC:
In 2000, the United States declared that measles was eliminated from this country. This means that the disease is no longer native to the United States.
The United States was able to eliminate measles because it has a highly effective vaccination program and a strong public health system for detecting and responding to measles cases and outbreaks.
It was declared eliminated from this country in 2000. Now we are at outbreak level, simply because uneducated, anti-science conspiracy theorists decided to bring it back by not vaccinating their spawn. Well, it looks like those people will no longer have herd immunity to hide behind. I wonder how strong their anti-vaxx convictions will remain if their circle of friends start needing to tend to sick children.
(photo: Ekaterina_Minaeva/ Shutterstock)
