We have entered the trenches of the vaccine wars. Last fall, the startlingly low immunization rates in our not-so-tinseled town were made public. Many people learned that schools in the most affluent Los Angeles communities had extremely low immunization rates, matching those of South Sudan, and it more than raised some eyebrows. The pro-vaxx/anti-vaxx battles heated up. The map of greater Los Angeles displayed dots of shame on schools with low immunization rates.
But that was then. These dots are no long just symbols on a map — they are now actual dots on children. Deadly dots. We’re not just looking up stats anymore. Measles has landed, and a pox is upon us.