PLYMOUTH, Minn. — Measles outbreaks across the country have prompted the Federal and Drug Administration (FDA) to consider issuing federal vaccine guidelines if states don’t get tougher on making sure kids get their shots. However, the FDA has yet to propose any specific actions
Currently, the federal government only issues vaccine recommendations for children and adults, but it’s up to the states whether they require all of the recommended vaccines to work or to go to school or daycare. The FDA commissioner is urging states to tighten their exemption laws before we see a nationwide outbreak.
Allina Health infectious disease specialist, Dr. Frank Rhame, believes there needs to be more discussion and more understanding about individual fears and less finger pointing to find middle ground.
“Typically, we see about one to four cases of measles, each year," says Rhame. "They are usually in people who have traveled to countries where measles is more common. In 2017, Minnesota had one of the largest outbreaks, with 75 cases reported. We still have pockets of our population with low vaccination rates, so we are always at risk of another outbreak.”
The doctor says it’s also important for parents to talk to their family doctor about how vaccines work for babies and children, as well as what's in the vaccines, to fully understand the side effects and risk.
For more information about childhood vaccinations, click here.