Utah's Year-Long Measles Outbreak Strains Hospitals, Parents, and Healthcare Workers
By
Amy Maxmen
Crackling crust, pillowy middle. The kind of bagel that earns a second cup of coffee.
Summary
A detailed account of Utah's prolonged measles outbreak, which has been spreading for nearly a year. The article describes the emotional and physical toll on healthcare workers, parents, and children, including a pediatrician treating a newborn exposed to measles in the womb. It highlights the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases in America due to declining vaccination rates, and the strain this places on hospitals, schools, and families.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledBen Dowse hadn't expected to treat measles when he became a doctor, but there he was, examining a newborn exposed to the virus in the womb.
Dowse wore a full-body protective suit with a plastic face mask. As a pediatrician in southern Utah, he couldn't risk getting even a mild infection, because many of his patients are babies too young for measles vaccines or children whose parents choose not to protect them with vaccines.
The state's outbreak provides a glimpse into a new era in America's health, in which vaccine-preventable diseases become common again.
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