Opinion | My Child Died of Measles
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- In 2013, during a measles outbreak in Manchester, England, a 5-month-old baby named Renae was diagnosed with measles after developing a high fever and breathing difficulties.
- The outbreak was linked to a significant drop in vaccination rates following a discredited 1998 study by Andrew Wakefield that falsely linked the MMR vaccine to autism.
- Most measles cases at the time affected unvaccinated school-age children or infants too young to receive the vaccine, like Renae, whose first MMR shot is typically given at one year old.
- Despite initial concerns, Renae was stabilized in the hospital and recovered, later thriving as a bright, articulate child with a love for reading and arts.
- The article highlights the dangers of vaccine hesitancy and the impact of misinformation on public health.
