Measles outbreak in Israel reignites vaccine debate

TIDI BENBENISTI

While in many parts of the world measles has been rendered innocuous because of innoculation, there are those who continue to take a stand against it, questioning the efficacy of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) jab.

Considered one of the leading causes of death in young children, measles is highly contagious and according to the World Health Organisation, can be prevented with a vaccine.

One fatality has been recorded thus far in Israel – the death of an 18-month-old baby from the Neturei Karta community in Jerusalem’s Mea She’aarim neighbourhood. Many believe it could have been prevented if the child had been vaccinated.

With a vaccination rate of reportedly 50% or less in the country, the choice not to vaccinate is not uncommon among some members of the ultra-orthodox community in Israel. Although the ultra-orthodox communities in Jerusalem and Bet Shemesh have experienced the largest number of reported measles cases, the outbreak has spread to the centre, in Tel Aviv, and as far north as Sfat.

In early November, 17 children in Williamsburg and Borough Park in Brooklyn, United States, were diagnosed with measles, according to the New York City Department of Health, three having contracted it while on a visit to Israel, it’s been claimed.

In 2018, more than 1 300 cases of measles have been reported in Israel, with many proponents of the vaccine claiming that non-vaccinated children are putting children at risk, calling for them to be barred from playschools. While there is no law forcing parents to vaccinate their children in Israel, the Knesset is to discuss ways to engage parents opposed to vaccination.

In South Africa, the health department advises mothers to vaccinate their children. Vaccines are offered free of charge at all state clinics, not only to protect children, but also the most vulnerable, an overview shared by Johannesburg GP, Dr Sharoni Cohen.

“There are lots of myths around vaccination, and with the advent of social media, these are spread more easily. There is a lot of fear, but it is completely unfounded, particularly regarding the MMR vaccine. About 10 years after it came onto the market in the United Kingdom, a study linked the vaccine to autism, which caused panic and decreased the uptake of the vaccine. But that study has been completely discredited, so there’s no validity to that link at all,” she says.

Cohen says she had her children vaccinated because she has seen firsthand what happens to children who have not been vaccinated. “When I was still working for the state, women who didn’t have easy access to local clinics couldn’t get their kids vaccinated easily, and the children were profoundly ill with illnesses that were vaccine-preventable. Ultimately, I strongly endorse vaccination as a strategy to improve public health because there is no doubt of its efficacy and its long-term goal of keeping all children as safe and healthy as possible.”

But it’s this very point that the anti-vaccination lobby is disputing, including a healthcare practitioner in Johannesburg, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of her position. “I do not vaccinate my children because they have not been tested for the MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) gene which is present in up to 60% of the population and increases the chances of vaccine-related injuries. I have seen vaccine damaged children and adults. I do not agree with the use of aborted foetal cells,” she says.

“The vaccines are grown on cancer cells, and the outcome for cancer still unknown. On every vaccine insert, it says it has not been tested for carcinogenic, mutagenic, and fertility effects,” this health practitioner says.

“The vaccine manufacturer has no liability for injuries, which is worrying. Studies are often paid for by manufacturers, which skews the results, and the Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration hide pertinent information. Vaccines contain glyphosate and are contaminated, for example, by retrovirus HERV-K and SV-40, which have a known association with cancer.

“Vaccine immunity wanes, and the majority of the adult population are not up to date with vaccines, so herd immunity does not exist. Parents inactivate the vaccine by giving fever-reducing medications, so being vaccinated is a false sense of security.

“There are positive benefits to having childhood illnesses if managed correctly. Vaccines bypass the body’s natural barriers, so it creates an overloaded immune response, and a weakened system. Many healthcare professionals do not vaccinate, which is a red flag about safety. My research comes from healthcare professionals, vaccine inserts, and medical journals. Many parents who do not vaccinate, once did, and suffered damage or death of their children, which is worrying,” she says.

A senior paediatrician who has just returned from a visit to Israel, says that vaccination should be reserved for killer diseases. “Today, people vaccinate against anything; they vaccinate against chicken pox, mumps, but those are not diseases that can do anything to you, so you shouldn’t vaccinate. Nobody argues that vaccination is completely harmless, but in the Haredi community, they are against vaccination. There, they have taken it to another extreme. Because, when you live in crowded conditions, measles can spread like wildfire, and it’s a very dangerous disease. Measles is one of the most dangerous and common diseases that affect mankind. It can be fatal. Where we have facilities to combat a disease and combat fatalities, even one death is too many, and we should vaccinate,” he says.

Dr Melinda Suchard, the Head: Centre for Vaccines and Immunology at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), warns about complacency when it comes to measles and vaccination.

“Thanks to the impact of vaccinations, measles deaths have become much less common, although measles remains a major killer, particularly of young children. Our grandmothers knew people whose children died of measles. We have become complacent, and have forgotten about the dangers. Measles is also one of the later immunisations, given at six and 12 months of age. Sometimes moms go for their six, 10, and 14-week immunisations, and forget to go back for later visits. Some mothers have also been influenced by opinions on social media or the internet, which may not be reliable sources of information. Reliable information sources should be consulted, such as “Vaccine Information for Mothers and Caregivers”, available on the website of the NICD, www.nicd.ac.za,” she says.

“In South Africa, every child is offered vaccination, but it is not mandatory. I think a law that would make vaccination mandatory might be helpful, unless the parent signs a form refusing vaccination. Patients and their parents have the right to autonomy. I don’t think they should be forced into vaccination against their will. But, most of the time, they are merely hesitant about vaccines rather than opposed to them, and such a law might increase vaccination rates, which would protect the whole community. Schools should also check vaccination cards before Grade 1 or Grade 6. Many children may just have missed certain vaccine doses without their parents being aware that they are not up to date,” says Suchard.

Choosing not to vaccinate should not be a criminal offence, says Cohen, as there are still people who don’t have easy access to healthcare. “If anything, that should be addressed first before any legislation is passed. But I do think parents need to consider very strongly whether they’re being responsible in not vaccinating their children, because the scientific evidence is strong and the experience is there that vaccinations are safe, widely used, prevent disease, and that lives have been saved because of them.”