A child in Texas is the first person in the United States to die of measles in a decade.
The child had not been vaccinated against the illness. An outbreak in West Texas has so far infected at least 124 people, mostly children.
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WATCH HEREThis viral infection is highly contagious, and symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, and rash on the body.
Most children are vaccinated for measles, but vaccination rates have been dropping.
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“We’ve been seeing this even before the pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy has been around since early 2000, but the pandemic really caused a lot of mistrust in government communication, in the preparation of the vaccines," said South Florida board-certified pediatrician Dr. Mona Amin.
"Everyone felt like it was a little bit forced, and there was a lot of miscommunications about the benefits, the risks – and thanks to social media, there’s a lot of ability for people to spread misinformation."
Some parents argue about the ingredients and are concerned there is a lack of long-term studies around them.
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"The science of vaccines has been around for so many years, right? Even though, we’re creating new vaccines. So, for example, that happened with the COVID vaccine, mRNA technology, how do we know it’s not long-term, have any long-term issues?" Dr. Mona said.
"We know that in most vaccines, short-term issues are most likely to arise. So, allergic reactions, maybe fever, maybe some discomfort at the site, and we don’t see long-term side effects. This is like a track record for all these vaccines that we’ve been seeing."
Dr. Mona urges parents to have an open conversation with their pediatrician while doctors must build trust through effective communication and support.
