Washington: Recent Disease Outbreaks Remind To Stay Immunizations

Several recent disease outbreaks in Washington and across the country show the importance of keeping immunizations up-to-date. Three vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in the last four months in our state serve as an example that we can't let our guard down. They include whooping cough (pertussis), measles, and chickenpox. Vaccines have greatly reduced cases of these and other diseases. As a result, many people aren't aware that such diseases can cause severe illness. When enough people stop getting vaccinated, some diseases that had become rare as a result of vaccination may begin to occur more frequently again. Staying current on immunizations is the key to prevention. "We must all do our part to protect ourselves, our families, and communities against disease," said State Health Officer, Dr. Maxine Hayes. "Immunizations... [read full story]