Rubella Wiped Out in the U.S.

[NoPasaran]

WASHINGTON — Rubella, a virus known to cause birth defects, miscarriages and stillbirths, has been eliminated in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday.

"This is an achievement … but the story is not done yet," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the CDC in Atlanta. "There are still parts of the world where immunization is not common or not common enough to prevent children from developing congenital rubella."

Because worldwide eradication of rubella is a long way off, children should still be immunized against the disease, Gerberding said. "The goal in the United States is ultimately to have all children vaccinated effectively against rubella and the other vaccine-preventable childhood illnesses, because we are at constant risk for reintroduction of the virus from other parts of the world," she said.

Ninety-three percent of American children younger than 2 and 95% of school-aged children have received the rubella vaccine.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-rubella22mar22.story
:toast:

[dbt]

1. Didn't we wipe out smallpox as well?

:evilgrin:

[FloridaPat]

2. Yes, but we brought it back to defend ourselves against - someone.

Just in case we need it for war.

[BiggJawn]

3. Wonder how much they have living in some Government lab someplace?

Can't TOTALLY wipe it out, y'know...Might need it for a weapon some day, like Plague or Smallpox...