The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig on her “hypothetical,” heavily reported measles essay
Nieman Lab • • health
Key Points:
- Elizabeth Bruenig’s article in The Atlantic, “This is how a child dies of measles,” is a fictionalized, second-person narrative based on extensive research and interviews with physicians, aiming to illustrate the severe consequences of measles in unvaccinated children.
- The story highlights the resurgence of measles in the U.S., with outbreaks reaching a 30-year high in 2025 and five outbreaks already reported in 2026, emphasizing the disease’s serious complications and potential long-term effects like SSPE, a rare degenerative brain disorder.
- Bruenig wrote the piece to empathize with hesitant parents by portraying a realistic, non-judgmental mother character based on her own feelings, intending to inform and persuade readers about the risks
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