It seems impossible to believe – but it is true. Measles cases have reached their highest level in nearly 30 years, as reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just last week. The last time the US experienced this many measles cases was in 1992.
We all know, measles is a disease that can be prevented by a vaccine, but convincing every family to vaccinate is another matter. David K. Randall is a senior reporter at Reuters and the author of the New York Times best-seller Dreamland and The King and Queen of Malibu. His latest book is​ BLACK DEATH AT THE GOLDEN GATE: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague (W. W. Norton & Company; May 7, 2019) – where he highlights the history of a disease outbreak that continued until – similar to measles – health officials were able to convince people to do something about the circumstances that were fostering the disease. In 1900 it was new sanitation and changing the way people lived. Today, health officials are tasked with convincing large populations – especially those living in cities – that vaccinating against measles is the best way to and these deadly outbreaks.