The Forgotten Dangers of Preventable Diseases

Introduction to a Forgotten Era

In the time before widespread vaccination, death often came early. Devastating infectious diseases ran rampant in America, killing millions of children and leaving others with lifelong health problems. These illnesses were the main reason why nearly one in five children in 1900 never made it to their fifth birthday.

The Impact of Vaccines

Over the next century, vaccines virtually wiped out long-feared scourges like polio and measles and drastically reduced the toll of many others. Today, however, some preventable, contagious diseases are making a comeback as vaccine hesitancy pushes immunization rates down. And well-established vaccines are facing suspicion even from public officials, with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, running the federal health department.

Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy

“This concern, this hesitancy, these questions about vaccines are a consequence of the great success of the vaccines – because they eliminated the diseases,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “If you’re not familiar with the disease, you don’t respect or even fear it. And therefore you don’t value the vaccine.” Anti-vaccine activists even portray the shots as a threat, focusing on the rare risk of side effects while ignoring the far larger risks posed by the diseases themselves — and years of real-world data that experts say proves the vaccines are safe.

Personal Stories of Loss and Struggle

Some Americans know the reality of these preventable diseases all too well. For them, news of measles outbreaks and rising whooping cough cases brings back terrible memories of lives forever changed – and a longing to spare others from similar pain.

Getting Rubella While Pregnant Shaped Two Lives

With a mother’s practiced, guiding hand, 80-year-old Janith Farnham helped steer her 60-year-old daughter’s walker through a Sioux Falls art center. They stopped at a painting of a cow wearing a hat. Janith pointed to the hat, then to her daughter Jacque’s Minnesota Twins cap. Jacque did the same. “That’s so funny!” Janith said, leaning in close to say the words in sign language too. Jacque was born with congenital rubella syndrome, which can cause a host of issues including hearing impairment, eye problems, heart defects, and intellectual disabilities.

Delaying the Measles Vaccine Can Be Deadly

More than half a century has passed, but Patricia Tobin still vividly recalls getting home from work, opening the car door, and hearing her mother scream. Inside the house, her little sister Karen lay unconscious on the bathroom floor. It was 1970, and Karen was 6. She’d contracted measles shortly after Easter. While an early vaccine was available, it wasn’t required for school in Miami where they lived. Karen’s doctor discussed immunizing the first grader, but their mother didn’t share his sense of urgency.

Polio Changed a Life Twice

One of Lora Duguay’s earliest memories is lying in a hospital isolation ward with her feverish, paralyzed body packed in ice. She was three years old. “I could only see my parents through a glass window. They were crying and I was screaming my head off,” said Duguay, 68. “They told my parents I would never walk or move again.” It was 1959 and Duguay, of Clearwater, Florida, had polio.

After Whooping Cough Struck, ‘She Was Gone’

Every night, Katie Van Tornhout rubs a plaster cast of a tiny foot, a vestige of the daughter she lost to whooping cough at just 37 days old. Callie Grace was born on Christmas Eve 2009 after Van Tornhout and her husband tried five years for a baby. She was six weeks early but healthy. “She loved to have her feet rubbed,” said the 40-year-old Lakeville, Indiana mom. “She was this perfect baby.”

Conclusion

The stories of Janith Farnham, Patricia Tobin, Lora Duguay, and Katie Van Tornhout serve as poignant reminders of the devastating consequences of preventable diseases. As vaccine hesitancy continues to rise, it’s crucial to remember the past and the lives that were lost or forever changed by diseases that are now preventable. Vaccines are safe, and they save lives. It’s up to us as adults to protect our children and communities by getting vaccinated and promoting a culture of vaccination.

FAQs

• Q: What is vaccine hesitancy, and how does it affect public health?
  A: Vaccine hesitancy refers to the delay or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines. It can lead to decreased immunization rates, making communities more susceptible to outbreaks of preventable diseases.
• Q: Are vaccines safe?
  A: Yes, vaccines are safe. They undergo rigorous testing and monitoring to ensure their safety and efficacy.
• Q: Why do some diseases seem to be making a comeback?
  A: Some preventable diseases are making a comeback due to decreasing vaccination rates, often as a result of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation about vaccine safety.
• Q: How can I protect my family and community from preventable diseases?
  A: You can protect your family and community by staying informed about vaccines, getting vaccinated, and promoting vaccination among your social networks.
• Q: What role do personal stories play in understanding the importance of vaccination?
  A: Personal stories, like those shared in this article, highlight the real consequences of preventable diseases and the importance of vaccination in preventing such tragedies. They serve as powerful reminders of why vaccines are crucial for public health.