Jacksonville Florida Measles Hype

Caitlyn RN
· 3 hrs ·

Jax friends, dont buy the hype!

I spent 30 minutes chatting with the health department this morning. I inquired if the local case of measles was in a vaccinated or not vaccinated child. 3 different individuals I spoke with could not confirm whether or not the child was in fact unvaccinated, as the news reported. I asked if the child had traveled anywhere out of the country to have been exposed, since there is only one case here locally. I was told the child had not been recently travelling. Then I asked since this was an isolated case if perhaps the infection could be from the live virus vaccine and was told yes, that could be a possibility.

After asking for details about the area, the age of the child, and a few other things, I inquired what they instruct people to do if they suspect they have the measles. The answer: take a picture of the rash, stay home, get rest, stay hydrated, and wait it out. When I got this response I was honestly a bit surprised because I expected a little more *panic* to be pushed, but the epidemiologist assured me several times that, like I already know, measles is a mild self limiting infection with similar symptoms/outcomes to Roseola, HFM, or various other benign childhood illnesses.

At the end of the conversation she encouraged me to call back anytime with questions and to "not be scared" of contracting the measles.

But.....

The media is not conveying this same message. Our local news stations are using a picture of a child with VACCINE INDUCED MEASLES and instead of sharing real facts like I obtained from the Health Department, they're quoting fear mongering statements from parents in the community about this manufactured "life or death" situation. (I'm sure The Waxman's are well meaning, decent people. But the idea that the news showcases two seemingly clueless individuals as the spokespeople for the risks of measles is offputting to say the least).

CNN was caught using this same picture and had to retract it and make a statement as such. Will Action News Jax be doing the same? When will the media stop trying to sensationalize mild childhood infection? When will journalism turn back into a search for truth instead of a quest for the story with the most hype?

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THIS same kind of HYPE is how they are getting the exemptions removed.  It's an excuse to rid the exemptions.  Read Healthy People 2020 plan.  Remember, FL is already trying to get the exemptions removed.