The Measles Problem continues to Rise

The Center for Disease Control has confirmed 228 cases of measles across the U.S. so far in 2019.
That total is more than half of last year’s total of 372 cases, and is on pace to be the worst year since 2014, when 667 cases were reported.  New cases have popped up in 12 states, with Washington and New York reported the largest outbreaks so far.   The CDC says most cases have been linked to travelers returning to the U.S. from countries like Israel and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Italy has adopted a countrywide “no vaccine, no school policy” which requires all children to be vaccinated in 10 diseases before they can attend public school.
The new law requires children to prove that they have been vaccinated from 10 diseases like measles, chickenpox, rubella and mumps before they can attend public school. Parents who send their unvaccinated children to class will receive a fine of what equals around $565 in U.S. dollars.
Italy’s current vaccination rate is at 80%, lower than the 95% that the World Health Organization recommends to achieve “herd immunity”, meaning where enough people are infected to keep a disease from spreading.