A once near-eradicated disease is needlessly killing people around the world.

A single person with measles will be able to infect 90 other people who are not immune.I know about measles. I had it as a child and was pretty unwell with it, confined to a darkened room for more than a week with concerns raised for my eyesight, among other things. Decades later, I still know about measles because I work with patients who have encephalitis because of it, and also families left bereaved by it.

Worldwide, measles is still a major cause of death, especially among children in resource-poor countries. Over the last two decades, however, vaccination has dramatically reduced the number of deaths from measles. Of course, we must recognise that some people exercise their autonomy and legitimately oppose vaccines due to their personal or religious beliefs. If vaccination rates provide a herd immunity to diseases like measles, then this means that wider society can accommodate these genuine personal choices.

One caveat I will make is that some of the proponents of vaccine misinformation affect some of the most vulnerable: Parents who have lost children or whose children have life-changing disabilities are led to believe vaccination was the cause. I have seen and heard from these parents—their loss and distress is palpable and heart-breaking. Along with patients and families affected by the complications of measles, these parents are also victims of erroneous and misguided information.

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