North America is reeling from measles outbreaks after an unvaccinated woman visited Disneyland. While many are lashing out at celebrities, and others cite freedom of choice and fear of autism, Professor Ubaka Ogbogu has stepped to the forefront as an expert source of sound information and scientific knowledge.
Measles is a highly contagious infection that causes high fever, a distinctive rash and a runny nose; complications can include pneumonia, deafness and death in about one or two cases per 1,000 infected individuals. Infants and those with compromised immunity are at risk for the disease because they cannot be immunized. Statistics suggest that 90% of those unvaccinated will catch measles if they come into contact with the infection.
Scientific research has shown that complications from the vaccine are rare and it does not cause autism. Peter Mansbridge, host of CBC's The National, quipped "there's more mercury in a tuna sandwich than a measles vaccine."
To protect those who cannot be immunized, Dr. Ogbogu says we must have herd immunity in which at least 95% of the population is vaccinated against the illness. He is a proponent for mandatory immunization because "no other method, not education, not providing incentives, has worked quite as well historically as mandatory policies."
To date, the Disneyland outbreak has involved 114 cases in seven U.S. states, one case in Mexico, and 19 cases in Canada. Canada reports one case in Manitoba, eight cases in Ontario and ten cases in Quebec. No cases linked to the event have been reported in Alberta.