Bringing in travelers from afar, or even just other cities, has proved that anyone is vulnerable to diseases during large events. And what’s bigger than the Super Bowl? Unfortunately for this year’s host state, Indiana is in the midst of battling a major measles outbreak after the big game between the Giants and the Patriots.
The Associated Press says that even though Indiana has vaccination rates that exceed the national average, state health officials have confirmed 13 cases of measles in this month alone. Authorities say the spread of the infection leads back to the Super Bowl Village on Feb. 3 and two people who visited it together.
The outbreak seems to be confined to two counties so far, but officials are reaching out to New York and Massachusetts’ departments of health to warn them that their fans may have taken measles home with them.
This isn’t the first time a large sporting event, with their masses of people all coughing and spitting on each other, became a breeding ground for the spread of infection:
In 1991, a track and field runner from Argentina participating in the Special Olympics in Minneapolis unknowingly started an outbreak of measles, infecting spectators, athletes and event organizers.
While 13 cases of measles might not seem like a lot, there are usually only around 50 instances of the infection per year, as 90 percent of the population is vaccinated against it. Another abnormal year for it was 2011, when 223 cases popped up due to Americans traveling abroad.
Indiana measles outbreak illustrates disease risk [Associated Press]
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Anyone still claiming that not vaccinating doesn’t affect anyone except themselves?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_immunity
And not vaccinating in enough numbers starts negating herd immunity. Which has been going on in enough numbers lately.
we’ve exceeded the “herd immunity threshold.”
Maybe countrywide but not on the community levels anymore. My sister’s school district had to put out a warning about measles because there was a few cases of it and alot of the kids were not vaccinated. Actually the wiki article mentions that in the section about social networks, herd immunity is more fragile than compared to what is used for statistics.
I was actually agreeing with you.
We had an outbreak of whooping cough here recently.
For which side of the argument are you posting that, Laura?
Just what I came here to say. VACCINATE YOUR KIDS, people!
SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR KIDS PEOPLE!
Bob Barker approves
+ 1
Of course they are; those are not the kind of people who take personal responsibility.
I work in one of the school districts where the measles have been contained.
God help me.
Can be what you get when some value the sport so highly >.>
I’m not even sure what that means, but thanks for posting it. If it means what I think, I agree. That’s what you get for enjoying something tons of other people enjoy! HA!
As someone who works in downtown Indy, I can tell you that a lot of the locals who visited Super Bowl Village weren’t there because they liked football; they were there to enjoy a party atmosphere and find out what exactly was tying up their streets and parking garages.
I would have expected an outbreak of the clap, herpes, or crabs if “Super Bowl Prostitute Myth” were to be believed.
http://www.dallasobserver.com/2011-01-27/news/the-super-bowl-prostitute-myth-100-000-hookers-won-t-be-showing-up-in-dallas/
Dear Hoosiers,
Stay on your side of the Ohio River!
Kthx,
Kentucky
=D
Aw, what’s wrong? You don’t want us to beat you at home next season?
(you know your state sucks when people from Indiana add -tucky to things they think are redneck)
Heh. In college , I knew a bunch of folks from Crawford-tuckey, Renssel-tuckey, Logan-tuckey
That’s Northern Indiana and doesn’t count. It’s a bunch of inbred freaks up here!
You either are not from Indiana or are ignorant. As a person from Waba-tuckey (Wabash), I know that it is named that because a very large percentage of our population was either born in Kentucky, was born to someone from Kentucky or has relatives in Kentucky. As another matter of fact, there used to be a state mileage sign just outside of Paintsville on old US 23 that gave the mileage to our town in Indiana. Most of the movement from Kentucky happened during the 40′s and 50′s when young people in Kentucky realized that their options were basically limited to farming or working the coal mines and chose instead to move here and work in the many factories in the area.
As someone who is approaching age 50, anyone know how long our childhood measles vaccinations last? My mom was a nurse, so I was vaccinated for whatever I could have been at the time.
I have to say these stories make me nervous. I don’t want to find out the hard way I need a measles booster (or anything else for that matter).
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_long_does_mmr_vaccination_last
You can ask your doctor to draw titers and test your immunity.
There was a period for those of us vaccinated in the 1960s that they found that we needed a booster. There was a measles outbreak in Washington state in 1990(?) and I had to get re-vaccinated because “Some lots of the measles vaccines used in the 1960′s and 1970′s had problems with stablizers used in the vaccine, and the vaccine was not as potent as it should have been.”
When in doubt, get a booster, it won’t hurt but for a minute.
I remember that. I got a booster in 1991.
Damn those filthy Giants fans
Must have been. If we learned anything on that Sunday, it’s that the Pats (and by extension their fans) couldn’t pass or catch anything. Of course, they were all that great at defending themselves, either.
In a nice world, if a child suffered from one of these easily avoided diseases because the parents were stupid enough to believe some blonde bimbo, famous because of posing for Playboy (Jenny McCarthy) and not famous for being intelligent, those parents would be charged with neglect to send a message to others.
In a perfect world, Jenny McCarthy & others would be sued into poverty & imprisoned for contributing to the deaths of so many children who have died directly as a result of stupid parents listening to these celebrities, and not vaccinating their children against these easily prevented diseases.
I blame Jenny McCarthy.
I do too – she gave me a case of Rigor mortis
I blame the hack scientist who put the idea in Jenny McCarthy’s head.
This is all actually happening up in Hamilton County where I live. It makes me nervous about taking my 3 month old anywhere…
In theory your three-year-old still has measles protection from his/her mother. That’s why they don’t vaccinate for measles at that age.
In theory.
Yeah.. I live in Marion County on 96th Street. I am concerned about going out myself at this point. I would be especially concerned about taking a 3 month old out.
A few years ago there was a measles outbreak of sorts at the Little League World Series. It fortunately remained confined to the small group which brought it in. I will be vaccinating my children.
Contagion. Run for the hills!
Ugh. I always swore I would never judge other parents for doing things differently than I do, but I judge the hell out of people who don’t vaccinate their kids. My baby is 4 months old, and I already had to turn down a playdate from an old friend because I know she isn’t vaccinating her 9-month old because she’s afraid he’ll get autism. My baby has received all her scheduled vaccines, but there are ones she hasn’t had because she’s not old enough, and my husband has lupus; no one’s coming into my house without a vaccine if I have to check your damn medical records.
“The Associated Press says that even though Indiana has vaccination rates that exceed the national average…”
When are we going to admit that “herd immunity” is temporary at best? Newsflash for the inject your kids with whatever big pharma makes so they are profitable crowd – Measles is mild in childhood and rarely kills in the first world. All those super duper scary measles will kill you fear mongering death rates include other countries.
So true. I mean, someone’ll only suffer horribly and needlessly, and still possibly die, but hey. You don’t want your kid stuck with a needle, consequences be damned. I can understand that.
Individuals should have the freedom to choose not to receive a vaccination. Society has the right to demand that they not risk injury to others by imposing a mandatory permanent quarantine on the fools.
I’m ok with letting people decide, but for those who are vehemently against letting kids go unvaccinated, understand that the choice is not so clear cut and both options are a gamble. Sure, per this article, 50 people get measles per year. I don’t know the stats of how many die from it, but I’m guessing it’s pretty small. Now compare that to the risks of the vaccine. In 2010, of people getting the MMR and MMRV, 5 died, 27 were disabled, and 1177 had to be taken to the ER due to side effects of the vaccine (all this information comes from the VAERS site, which works with the CDC and FDA). All I’m saying is that it’s all one big, scary gamble, no matter which way you go.