According to data from the Centers for Disease Control, cases of measles in the U.S. are on the rise, with this year looking to be the worst in more than 15 years. And if that news doesn’t disturb you, take a look at some statistics from the CDC on what the impact of measles was in the U.S. prior to the start of the measles vaccination program in 1963:
- About 3 to 4 million people got the disease each year
- Roughly 48,000 of those people were hospitalized
- 1,000 suffered brain damage or became deaf
- 450 died
If you want to learn more about measles and the importance of parents getting their children vaccinated, check out this Q&A with Hayley Gans, MD, an infectious-disease specialist at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.
Previously: Tips for parents on back-to-school vaccinations, A look at the causes and potential cost of the U.S. measles outbreaks and Unvaccinated children may pose a public health risk
