Let’s not wait til a child dies. Let’s immunize our community now, N.J. public health professionals say

When portions of a community choose not to immunize despite the availability of licensed, safe vaccines, the consequences can be horrifying, five public health officials say. During a seven-month period in 1991, Philadelphia saw 1,400 cases of measles and nine deaths among children.AP

By Megan Avallone

Looking back through modern history, there is no question that one of the greatest scientific achievements, with nearly immeasurable societal benefit, is the development, introduction and global use of vaccines.

By any account, literally hundreds of thousands of lives have been saved and millions more have been spared awful, debilitating disease in this country, alone, due to the prescient work of scientists, medical practitioners and public health professionals. Perhaps, most dramatically, vaccines have – through distribution, education and consistent legislation – virtually eliminated the widespread risk of childhood preventable diseases in particular.  Finish reading the article here.