Vaccines are our best defense against some diseases

Parents make powerful choices for their children. One of the most important is the decision to give them vaccines that will protect them from deadly, disabling diseases. As USA TODAY reported Wednesday, chicken pox, measles, mumps and whooping cough are not distant, forgotten diseases. They may be right next to you, in an infected traveler on an airplane ("Reports of sick travelers climb," News).

Right now, in fact, several states are experiencing outbreaks of whooping cough, or pertussis. In California, the pertussis epidemic has killed six infants this year who were too young to be fully vaccinated.

In 2008, the same story played out with measles. An unvaccinated boy returned home from Switzerland with measles, and over the next few days, more than 800 people around San Diego were exposed to the virus. Eleven other unimmunized children caught measles, including three who were too young to be vaccinated.

Vaccines truly are life-saving, and they represent our best defense against diseases such as measles and pertussis. When community vaccination rates are high, that protects vulnerable members of society, especially infants.

We know parents have questions about vaccines. Pediatricians, who provide 80% of childhood immunizations in this country, work hard every day to provide the answers. We must convince the public that the threat of disease is not theoretical, but real. And we already have the most effective weapon at our disposal.

Judith S. Palfrey, M.D., President, American Academy of Pediatrics; Boston

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/le ... _ST1_N.htm