Based on recent regulations, pupils must receive measles vaccines, US rulers have enacted after more than one hundred children have been infected during a Disneyland measles outbreak in December. The new regulations say that all children must receive vaccines against measles before they enter kindergarten.
Measles outbreak have become a serious threat for young and adult populations of California; therefore, the U.S. government is considering various measures they can adopt in order to prevent other possible outbreaks.
The decision they adopted on Tuesday afternoon was to render vaccines obligatory for small children as these social categories are the most sensitive to measles. According to the new regulation, children must receive vaccines before they sign up for kindergarten.
Physicians must not allow any exception to this rule, unless the medical history of the children and of the families suggest they should not receive the shot. However, a special recommendation from the child’s personal paramedic should be issued in order for the infant to be exempted from vaccination.
The most recent measles outbreak that the Californian state has confronted itself with was in December when 130 children got infected with the virus. The infection spread rapidly as the sick children were located in Disneyland and they were in constant contact with each other.
Medical data indicates that around 159 persons have fallen victims to this particular disease between January and April. The identified cases were registered across 18 states; therefore, doctors are afraid a larger outbreak could take place in the future if new measures are not adopted.
California governor, Jerry Brown, told the press that parents should not fear immunization as this medical practice has proven itself good many times in the past. He further acknowledged that there may be risks involved, as well, as it is the case with all medical procedures; however, the benefits are much bigger than the number of disadvantages.
The number of measles infections dropped significantly in the past decade after U.S. authorities developed a series of vaccination campaigns all throughout the territory. Unfortunately, the situation worsened as frightened parents refused to let their children immunized.
Medical experts warn that measles immunization is vital now, particularly since infants are highly sensitive to this virus. The first symptoms of the disease are fever and rash, but the infection may later on cause brain damage, loss of sight or hearing, if the patient is not diagnosed and treated in due time.
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