So after having been virtually eliminated over a decade ago, this extremely contagious illness is back on the rise.

The cause of it has been attributed to rising anti-vaccination stances, which did have a political element to it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/02/09/measles-outbreak-spreads-to-three-more-states-121-people-now-affected/

Here's a recent article.

From what I've read, it can be fatal to children under 5.

What are your opinions about this? How can we prevent something similar from happening in the future?

Governments of the world have to, for something like vaccines, simply say "to hell with your personal beliefs, herd immunity is more important."

Vaccines don't work well if only five people are immunized, they work best when everyone but a very small few with allergies or confirmed potential side effects since herd immunity will prevent contagion of those individuals.

An unvaccinated individual is not only in danger themselves but also endangers vaccinate individuals (vaccines are very efficient, but extreme contact with someone who is infected can still pierce immunological barriers.)

In short, anti-vaxxers need to get real.

Myelin : If you start doing that, you start forcing all sorts of government control over citizens.  Safety is important and kids should not be allowed in public schools or daycares if they don't have vaccinations. 

However, forcing everyone to vaccinate because it's good is the first step of.... what?  Now we ban cigarettes because they're bad.  New York City has banned saturated fat or something like that because it is unhealthy.  Ooops, you can't play video games any more because people think game play leads to violence.  Or no one can run now because you'll trip and fall and get hurt.  And cars kill a thousands of people all the time.  We should get rid of those.

Yes, that is all silly to read but when the government lets themselves in on the decision making process of every day life, they'll start to do more and more.  I'm more a Libertarian than anything.  People can choose what they want.  My kid is vaccinated out the wazoo because I understand the science.

The best you can do is educate, teach, and educate more.  And don't let people who aren't vaccinated into public spaces. 

warmaker : honey you're too smart to pull a slippery slope like that on me. The state doesn't intend to protect you from yourself but to protect you from others and protect others from you. There is a cigarette ban on several public spaces for that reason, and there should be a ban like you said on unvaccinated people in schools and public spaces, as a way to protect the population from disease. The threat of video games and running can be minimized and isn't considerable, whereas the danger that unvaccinated people pose to society is palpable as you can see in the article in the OP. It sounds dystopian that a government forces you to take injections, but it isn't means of controlling the people but if protecting it, and such a case can't really be made for banning video games and cars and saturated fat (I want a source for that by the way, I'm not doubting you, it just sounds like something outrageous I want to read up on)

A quick google search popped up several notable news sources for your New York City inquiry.  I have USA Today, NY Times, and NBC for you.  These are from years ago and things have progressed.  It's an interesting read to see the domino effect and it's a microcosm for what could happen around the country.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/nyregion/06fat.html?_r=0


http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-12-04-trans-fat-ban_x.htm


http://www.nbcnews.com/id/16051436/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/new-york-city-passes-trans-fat-ban/#.VOSMePnF8rU

And of course we make laws to protect people from other people.  The seat belt laws in some states are meant to protect insurance payees and the state from shelling out extra money to those who kill themselves because they don't want to wear seatbelts.  Helmet laws on motorcycles are for the same reason.  It's money, not safety of a rider that motivates law makers to do these kinds of things.

So, the question really becomes where the line is drawn.  Mandatory vaccinations at hospitals as soon as kids are born?  And how does freedom of religion fit in?  The easy answer is: Don't go to public places if you're not vaccinated.  I'm sure civil rights groups will love that to happen.

warmaker : your view on politics is too bleak. Protecting money is a way to protect people but this isn't the politics board. I agree with your proposed solution on the vaccine issue but it will be met with as much contempt as mine, if ever implemented. At the same time, the state has to disregard that contempt and seriously enforce some kind of vaccine regulation, because freedom of religion stops mattering when it may threaten the lives of large groups of people. Most respectable civil rights groups are advocating for mass vaccination, it's the misinformed ones that would protest against attempts to immunize everyone.

I'm actually kind of worried. Of course, I'm not under 5 years old, but my 4 year old half-brother sure is. I also have a 1 year old cousin, so this makes me kind of worried. Hopefully it won't go into outbreak standards.