Latest U.S. Measles Outbreak Traced To Vaccine-Skeptical Megachurch

Monday, August 26, 2013 - 16:30 in Health & Medicine

Not Too Scared to Watch A young girl gets a vaccine in the thigh James Gathany, CDC The church ran an immunization drive afterward, but still put out some dubious claims. The latest outbreak of measles in the U.S.-a preventable disease that the Western Hemisphere eradicated decades ago, thanks to vaccines-has been traced to a megachurch in Texas. The church's senior pastor, Terri Pearsons, had previously criticized vaccines, USA Today reports. The outbreak sickened 25 kids and adults. At least 12 of them weren't fully immunized. Others had no records of immunization. One ill child is 4 months old, too young to have received the measles vaccine. After the outbreak, the church offered its members free immunizations and urged the congregation to get vaccinated, which sounds great. But a statement from church leaders, issued last week, still includes some troubling, unscientific claims. For one, Pearsons suggested that excessive amounts of vitamin...

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