Measles vaccination must be mandatory, Dr. Robert Pearl asserted in an article in Forbes.
There is no effective treatment once children or adults contract measles; patients may experience high fevers and are at risk to develop bronchitis, secondary pneumonia, encephalitis, or hearing damage. They may die, said Dr. Pearl , a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who is CEO of The Permanente Medical Group.
Measles is extremely contagious; its airborne particles can remain infectious for up to 2 hours. Yet 19 states allow personal exemptions for vaccination.
Dr. Pearl stated, “As a society, we don’t condone behavior that puts others at risk for injury or death. There are no exemptions for laws that prohibit drunk driving, for example.
Refusing vaccination for reasons other than a serious medical condition is unfair and dangerous to those who can’t protect themselves. Those who remain unvaccinated pose a great risk to many, including: all children under 1 year old who are too young to be vaccinated, older adults who don’t know their immunity has lapsed, and others with impaired immune systems.”
To read the entire article, go to Forbes Feb. 5, 2015