Measles, once thought to be eliminated in the United States, continues to worry public health officials as the number of infected individuals swells past 300. The most recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics report 314 individual confirmed cases of measles in 15 states, with ongoing outbreaks in New York, Washington, Texas, Illinois, and California.
To shed light on the current measles outbreaks, the infectious disease news agency Contagion has launched a five-part video series featuring the perspectives of two medical experts, including Rutgers Global Health Institute core faculty member Glenn Fennelly, MD, MPH.
In these videos, Fennelly, professor and chair of pediatrics at Rutgers’ New Jersey Medical School and a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, and Christina Tan, MD, MPH, an epidemiologist and assistant commissioner with the New Jersey State Department of Health, discuss issues of vaccination, individual state laws, exemption definitions, and the role clinicians and public health officials play in these measles outbreaks.
“We live in a global village. The existence of measles anywhere is a threat to children everywhere,” Fennelly says. “We have an opportunity to eliminate and eradicate. Not doing it costs a tremendous amount in terms of lives.”
The following videos were published by Contagion on the dates listed in parentheses.
“Examining the Epidemiology and Etiology of Measles” (March 29, 2019)
“Public Health Responses to an Outbreak of Measles” (April 2, 2019)
“Addressing Aversion to Vaccination” (April 9, 2019)
“Overcoming Vaccination Hesitancy” (April 16, 2019)
“Future Prevention and Management of Measles” (April 23, 2019)