FLORIDA RISK
The measles outbreak in Florida has now reached 10 cases. The majority of the cases have been confirmed at an elementary school in Broward County. Seventy-seven of the cases are connected to the school. Two of the cases are in the same Broward CIn a state where vaccine skepticism is on the rise and where the debate over individualism versus the well-being of the population boiled over during COVID-19, containing measles, a virus that can spread rapidly, shouldn’t be a matter of debate. Yet, that’s exactly what’s happening in Florida. Florida’s Department of Health is issuing a new recommendation in response to the measles outbreak, and it stands in stark contrast to health practice standards for measles outbreaks in two fundamental ways.ounty county and one of the cases is travel-related. The number of cases is expected to continue to rise. Florida allows non-medical vaccine exemptions. Non-medical vaccine exemptions have been on the rise since 2021.First, in violation of previously established public health practices, the province's chief medical officer, Joseph Ladapo, stated in the letter that unvaccinated children who may have been exposed to measles should not be allowed to attend school. I wrote that I could continue going. This is unprecedented and dangerous. Children without prior immune exposure to the vaccine must be isolated for 21 days after exposure to avoid infection and further spread of the disease. Second, despite local authorities urging children to be vaccinated, Ladapo City does not recommend vaccination for children who do not have immunity. This is concerning because unvaccinated children can still be protected from measles if they are vaccinated within 72 hours of infection. And if they get vaccinated within 72 hours, they can return to school as long as they don't show symptoms. Many parents do not know this information and omitting it is misleading.Unvaccinated children must stay home after contracting measles to prevent transmission. If this does not happen, the likelihood of a prolonged outbreak increases significantly.