There’s a beautiful story of success tucked away in the recent measles outbreak in the United States. Sometimes we forget to talk about it. When measles popped up at Disneyland in December 2014, it made headlines as the public remained thirsty for the media’s support in understanding who was at risk and why. I spoke to […]
Vaccines
Vaccines, Profanity, And Professionalism
You’ve likely seen the Jimmy Kimmel “public service announcement” on vaccines. Over 3 1/2 million people have viewed it on Youtube so if you’re not yet one of them you’ll likely add to the tally now. The first 3 minutes of the monologue are spot-on and they’re also very funny. Jimmy takes a stand against the […]
Cocooning For Measles
The measles outbreak continues to spread, with 121 cases now reported in 17 states (CDC data as of February 6th). Many states are getting serious about detailing why exemptions for vaccines exist and looking at ways to better protect the population. This week in the Seattle Times three local pediatricians speak out for removing both personal […]
Measles Outbreak With A Baby At Home
Many parents around the U.S. are asking what to do about a possible measles exposure with a baby at home who is too young to be immunized. Should they stay home? Can they travel? Should they cancel that trip to Utah or to Vermont or even to Disney next month? Can they head out to […]
Enraged By 2015 Measles In America
I wept at the end of the movie I watched last night, The Imitation Game. The reason really was this: it reminded me how we’re just so terrible to each other at times. How much suffering occurs when we don’t think things through. The movie wasn’t about measles or vaccination, but injustices in it pushed me […]
Influenza Hitting Hard: OTC Medications For Symptoms
Influenza is hitting hard this year thanks to a drifted influenza strain (H3N2) causing a more serious illness and one that is not included in our annual vaccine. Because of the hard hit, public health officials are reminding us to get high-risk patients into see physicians early if they have symptoms of “the flu” or […]
Speaking Up At School
Is it partly our responsibility, as parents, to ensure our kids are in an immunized, safe environment? Maybe so. Unsurprisingly, most parents want to make sure their children attend a school or daycare with children up-to-date on immunizations. This week is National Influenza Vaccination Week and provides a hearty reminder. Established by the CDC in 2005, it began […]
H3N2 And An Update on Flu
Lots of information floating around this past week about influenza. Of anything, remember this: it’s easiest to predict that influenza can be unpredictable and it’s also still true that a flu shot is the best way to protect your family from flu. I’ll explain why, along with a recap of what you should know about […]
Has Your Babysitter Had The Whooping Cough Shot?
A Seattle high school recently announced a minor outbreak of whooping cough: 13 students were diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed pertussis. None of the teens are contagious as of today, but it poses an interesting question about protecting our children and communities. A health advocate and friend on twitter suggested a savvy reminder: we can help teenage babysitters get […]
