Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Specialist Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban stated that measles, which we almost forgot, started to come back with vaccine rejection, and pointed out that vaccine rejection can cause irreversible problems.

Evaluating the increase in measles cases due to vaccine rejection, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Specialist Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban, from Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital, Department of Pediatric Health and Diseases, made important warnings. Underlining that the additives in the vaccine are not harmful, Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban said, “The vaccine contains the attenuated measles germ. Families are more afraid of the additives in these vaccines. However, it is not right to be afraid of these additives. These substances are less dangerous than the additives in the things we eat and drink in daily life. Various studies have proven that these vaccines are not harmful to children and will not cause any harm in the future.”

Measles Cases Increased Sharply After 2016

Stating that there was a serious decrease in measles cases until the last 3 years, but this figure increased after 2016, Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban made the following statement: “The reason for vaccination is primarily to ensure that the vaccinated individual is protected from that disease. The second is to protect him/her from the sequelae of the disease when he/she is not vaccinated, and our third goal is to vaccinate everyone and protect the whole society, and our ultimate goal is to eradicate the disease from the whole world. As a matter of fact, the previous smallpox disease was wiped out from the whole world as a result of vaccination. A similar method was tried with measles. Everything was going well until the last 3 years. The most important reason after 2016 was the rejection of the vaccines by the families and the insufficient access of the war zones to the vaccine. But the most important reason is the rejection of the vaccine. For this reason, we began to see an increasing number of cases.”

Unvaccinated Child Puts Other Children at Risk

Warning that vaccine rejection will cause serious and irreversible problems, Prof. Dr. Sarıçoban gave the following advice to families:

“Measles is a dangerous disease that starts with coughing, redness in the eyes, and rash on the body like a respiratory infection and then spreads to the body and reaches the brain, which may result in brain inflammation and loss of patients. Because there is no antivirus treatment for this infection. We have to wait for the disease to heal on its own with our hands and arms tied. In this case, we may face the risk of losing the child in front of our eyes.”

Reminding that vaccination protects against the disease by 95 percent, Sarıçoban stated that a child who is not vaccinated will also be a risk factor for other children. Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban, who also shared the latest data from the World Health Organization, said, “WHO announced that 10 percent of the cases have been reported, that is, the danger is higher. In recent years, we know that it has increased by 3 times. This situation aroused concern. It was stated that all physicians in the world should make efforts for vaccination.”

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