Dr. Michael Tosi, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the Kravis Children's Hospital at Mount Sinai in New York City, said, "Any concerns or claims about a connection between measles vaccine and autism in young children have absolutely no scientific basis and have been entirely discredited."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Tom Frieden on Sunday warned that the U.S. could see a "large outbreak" of measles.
There are at least 102 reported cases in 14 states, according to the CDC. Frieden said that the U.S. is "likely to see more cases."
Frieden said there is "aggressive public health action" to identify those with measles, isolate those sick and quarantine those who have been exposed.
But he said the best way to prevent the spread of measles was vaccination.
Frieden said despite the U.S.'s 92 percent vaccination rate, there is growing evidence more parents are not vaccinating their children.
"What we’ve seen is, as over the last few years, a small but growing number of people, have not been vaccinated. That number is building up among young adults in society, and that makes us vulnerable," he said.
Frieden acknowledged that some parents are concerned about the safety of vaccines, or think measles no longer exists.
"One in six kids could have a fever ten days after, but the vaccine is safe and effective. And for those parents that may think that measles is gone, it’s still here, and it can be quite serious," he said.
Frieden also appeared on ABC's "This Week," urging parents to vaccinate their children.
"What you do for your own kids doesn't just affect your family. It affects other families as well," he said. "The more kids who are not vaccinated, the more they're at risk and the more they put their neighbors' kids at risk as well.”
State Vaccination Requirements
In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates and licenses all vaccines to ensure safety and effectiveness. No federal vaccination laws exist, but all 50 states require certain vaccinations for children entering public schools. Depending on the state, children must be vaccinated against some or all of the following diseases: mumps, measles, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, and polio.
State Vaccination Requirements
- Database of State Immunization Laws for Healthcare Workers and Patients
This tool contains results from a 50-state legislative review of laws requiring assessment of vaccination status and vaccine administration for healthcare workers and patients/residents. The review was conducted by CDC in 2005 and collected data on laws for the following types of facilities: hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, individual providers' practices, correctional facilities, and facilities for the developmentally disabled.
- Childcare and school vaccination requirements
This tool provides state vaccination requirements, state exemptions, and links to state web sites reporting requirements.
- Immunization requirements, by disease
Lists vaccine-preventable diseases, and then shows state mandates (prenatal, daycare, childcare, kindergarten, elementary, secondary, K-12, colleges and universities, long-term care facilities) on immunization requirements
Immunization Action Coalition (IAC)
- See also:
- CDC Feature Story: School is Starting—Make Sure Your Children are Fully Vaccinated
- MMWR articles on Vaccination Coverage Among Children Entering School
Results for childcare, kindergarten, and middle school