No, illegal immigrants probably aren't responsible for the measles outbreak

[Skidmore]

Because I'm having this discussion right now with a couple of Teabagger type women who don't have a problem with women choosing not to vaccinate but do have a problem with children on the border. Apparently, it's just easier to hate on children.

http://theweek.com/articles/537527/illegal-immigrants-probably-arent-responsible-measles-outbreak

The suddenly renewed debate over vaccinating children against communicable diseases is bound to be messy. It fills the already fraught territory of parenting with ideological landmines and a morass of non-scientists arguing over clinical research. So why not throw a little xenophobia into the mix?

The idea that the current outbreak of measles is the fault of undocumented immigrants crossing over from Mexico was raised Tuesday by Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), who told conservative radio host Matt Murphy that "illegal aliens" have clearly brought deadly diseases into America. "It might be the enterovirus that has a heavy presence in Central and South America that has caused deaths of American children over the past six to nine months," he said. "It might be this measles outbreak."

more...

[SheilaT]

1. I've read that the original visitor to

Disneyland with measles was a foreign, unvaccinated tourist. Haven't bothered to double-check that.

[GeorgeGist]

2. not helpful

[CreekDog]

12. It's almost worse than not posting it at all

What you've said is that you read it, but you don't say where.

None of us can judge if it was from a reliable source.

You say you can't confirm, which means perhaps you aren't even sure you read it yourself.

Why did you even post this? Was that really worth sharing, especially since it feeds the anti immigrant sentiment that seeks to blame measles on immigrants?

What are you doing??? Helping?

No, quite the opposite.

[kiva]

13. This has been reported multiple times:

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/measles-outbreak/disney-measles-outbreak-came-overseas-cdc-says-n296441

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/01/29/measles-outbreak-dangerousness/22521529/ (9th paragraph)

http://time.com/3688914/disneyland-measles-outbreak-overseas/

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-30942928 (3rd paragraph)

Really not a secret.

[CreekDog]

14. It doesn't say that, next time read what you post

An outbreak of measles that started in California's Disneyland probably came from overseas, carried either by a foreign tourist or by an American coming back with the virus, a top federal health official said Thursday.

(1st paragraph, 1st sentence)

[kiva]

16. Yes, it does say that.

ShielaE said "I've read that the original visitor to Disneyland with measles was a foreign, unvaccinated tourist."

The quote you picked out from the first articles says "either by a foreign tourist or by an American coming back with the virus", so yes, foreign tourist.

From the second source "Last year was a particularly bad year for measles, driven both by huge outbreaks in Asia as well as rising rates of unvaccinated children. Doctors diagnosed 644 people with the virus, according to the CDC. Although health officials don't know who started the Disneyland outbreak, they have said it was probably a foreign visitor."

From the BBC: "Public health experts say the disease was probably brought to the amusement park packed with holiday tourists by a foreign visitor, but it has spread in part due to the lower numbers of Americans who have been opting to receive the immunisation shots."

So yes, several sources that say it could have been/probably was a foreign tourist. 100%? No, but the odds are just as much for a foreign tourist as an American returning from out of country.

And the rolling eyes smiley? Cute, but generally used for situations when you are correct.

[CreekDog]

17. Wrong and shame on you for playing games with this

She said there was just one explanation when the CDC offered two explanations.

She doesn't get half credit for pretending the other possibility wasn't stated.

[CreekDog]

15. No, that's not what the CDC said

you're reporting only half what was said.

[cwydro]

18. Not only that, but

the "probably" jumps out at me in all those accounts.

In other words, they have no effing idea. Sheesh.

[Man from Pickens]

3. That's a lot of analysis for having no information

author is doing the same jumping-to-conclusions that the other side is doing

Actual current status is we have no information as to who is responsible for spreading the disease, other than that the vector of arrival was probably a foreign tourist.

Blaming illegal immigrants is just as unfounded as blaming unvaccinated Americans. Until we have actual facts to work with, both acts of finger-pointing are extremely premature.

[jamzrockz]

5. Actually

people coming through the legal passage get health screen before coming to the US. You have heard about the US policy of not giving visas to HIV positive individuals. As opposed to just crossing the border with no checks.

If I was a betting man, I would put all my money on the virus being reintroduced to the US from an illegal immigrant.

[geek tragedy]

8. That is because you are peddling xenophobic bullshit.

FOREIGN TOURISTS HAVE NO VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS TO ENTER THE US

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/united-states

CDC Travelers’ Health provides information and health recommendations for US residents traveling internationally. If you live outside the United States and plan to travel here, please check resources in your own country for travel health information.

There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to the United States. For information on US-based infectious disease outbreaks currently being reported by CDC, please see the CDC Current Outbreak List.

The people who actually know what they're talking about instead of bashing immigrants say you're wrong.

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/measles-outbreak/disney-measles-outbreak-came-overseas-cdc-says-n296441

An outbreak of measles that started in California's Disneyland probably came from overseas, carried either by a foreign tourist or by an American coming back with the virus, a top federal health official said Thursday.

The virus has now infected 94 people in eight states, and 67 can be clearly linked to Disneyland, California health officials report. Because measles is so contagious, more cases can be expected.


"We don't know exactly how this outbreak started but we do think it was likely a person infected with measles overseas," Dr. Anne Schuchat of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told reporters.

"We assume that someone got infected with measles overseas, visited Disneyland park, and spread the disease to others."

[jamzrockz]

11. I came with a green card

from Nigeria and they required me to get every vaccination shot imaginable before getting into the country. I did not come in as a tourist (hence the reason I am still here after a decade plus) and hence I wouldn't know. Btw, thanks for the correction cos I really thought everybody else had to go through the same process as we did or present document showing they are vaccinated.

So does this mean you will start blaming the tourists and American travelers instead of the so called anti vaxxers? your links says the outbreak (phew, most people already call it a pandemic) was likely started by them and not the tiny, miniscule number of people who are truly anti vaxxers?

[Gormy Cuss]

9. Good thing that you're not a betting man.

In recent years it's been a combination of tourists and returning U.S. travelers responsible for imported measles cases.
http://www.cdc.gov/measles/cases-outbreaks.html

[jamzrockz]

4. Riddle me this

how is a virus which has no non-human reservoir and has been eradicated in a area, show up in said area without someone who is not a disease carrier bring it in?

It's something none of us want to accept but it is a very likely possibility. More likely than saying anti vaxxer somehow magically created a virus which has been eradicated in the US. If you have a better explanation of how a virus (no known non human reservoir) reappears after eradication, please tell me.

[Skidmore]

6. Carriers with visas can bring them in with them too.

Poor children at the border likely cannot afford to find their way to Disneyland where this infection originated. If you read the article, you will note that the vaccination programs of Mexico and countries of Central America are stringent. It is here that people choose not to get vaccinations. Is that alright by you?

[jamzrockz]

10. I really do not know the answer

but how many countries in the world have had no incident of the measles virus as long as the US had gone without having one. Also poor kids do not need to go to Disney world to spread the virus. They can infect it to classmates who then go to Disney world or their parents working at Disney world can infect the virus to Disney customer

Actually a possibility I did not take into account was someone from the US going to an area where the virus exists and then bringing it back to the states. Either way, you cannot rule out the possibility of it coming from an undocumented immigrant.

[seveneyes]

7. Too much hate

Hate for the ignorant, hate for the omniscient, hate for all and even those who deny its allure.