In a time of panic and fear of the current coronavirus outbreak, a great deal of blame and finger-pointing has surfaced towards the people of China. Accusations of Chinese citizens have turned downright racist as Westerners paint an image of an entire nation as “filthy.” But while criticism continues to be dished out for an event far beyond the control of the average Chinese citizen, Americans should reflect on their own ability to contain preventable diseases.
In 2019, there were 1,292 reported cases of measles in the U.S. across 31 states- the highest number since 1992. The World Health Organization reports that over 140,000 people died of measles in 2018, the vast majority of these victims being children under the age of five. The Center for Disease Control estimates that one of every 20 children who contract the virus will come down with pneumonia; this potentially deadly condition involves fluid in the lungs, a fever, and painfully sharp coughing. Death by pneumonia is a slow and agonizing one. Measles can also lead to children dying of neurological complications, and children who survive encephalitis (swelling of the brain) may endure convulsions and develop permanent hearing loss or intellectual disability.
For parents with small children, measles should sound horrifying. Yet 90% of fatal measles cases occurred in unvaccinated children- despite vehement warnings. According to nearly every major medical organization, vaccine rates only continue to decline in the U.S. Sonoma County schools and have some of the lowest vaccination rates in the country. Sebastopol Independent Charter school reported that 52% of its students were vaccinated for measles in 2018. The CDC’s recommended vaccine rate for effective herd immunity is 95%. Essentially, these schools are ticking time bombs simply waiting to become cesspools of contagion.
Immunologists are currently scrambling to develop the much-anticipated vaccine for the Coronavirus, yet the lifesaving measles vaccine, available since 1963, is being rejected by Americans on no scientific basis. Upper class, wealthy westerners are quick to point the finger at China, but simultaneously make dangerous medical decisions for their children.
Anti-vaccine sentiment is rooted in a lack of media literacy, or the ability to decipher a reputable source from a questionable one. A 2018 study conducted by the Stanford Graduate School of Education found that 80% of college students- a demographic that should excel in critical thinking- are unable to recognize a biased information source online. A 2019 Pew Research Center survey found that 60% of adults who prefer to find news online had shared outright false information at least once. The majority of participants were unaware at the time that they were spreading misinformation, but once an article is shared, the damage is done.
The facts remain that vaccines must undergo rigorous testing and trial periods before becoming available to the public, that thousands of peer-reviewed studies on vaccine safety and efficiency are available for the public to review in detail online, and that the minor risk of a reaction to a vaccine pales in comparison to the risk of contracting a preventable illness.
Many young parents have never experienced the terror of a serious disease epidemic, therefore, they may not see the urgency in taking action to prevent illness from spreading. As long as we in the United States and are willing to risk our children dying from preventable illnesses, we have no place condemning China.
