In Europe, a measles outbreak has occurred and the number of cases has reached the highest level since the last 25 years. Measles has been a plague of the past, haunting children and causing a viral respiratory infection. However, we have been able to develop a vaccine against this that prevents children from getting the virus easily. Though, this time, the virus is back with an even more deadly and resistant strain.
The World Health Organization and UN Children’s Fund and UNICEF said that children under the age of 5 accounted for 40% of cases in Europe. The number of measles cases fell significantly until 2023, when we reached a drop in immunization coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccination levels are expected to decrease again to regular levels and cause more outbreaks, potentially starting another pandemic.
So far, the World Health Organization has reported a whopping 56,634 measles cases and four deaths. Vaccination rates for double doses have fallen below 10% in Europe. When vaccination rates decrease and outbreaks increase, it should be a sign to the public that they should continue vaccination. Many Europeans believe that since the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, they should be safe without any vaccination. However, this does not include other deadly diseases, such as HIV and measles.
Additionally, humans have used antibiotics so frequently that we have given measles a chance to learn and create new strains of bacteria that are more resistant to our drugs. By overusing drugs and other powerful antibiotics, we allow for variants of more resistant bacteria to dominate the bacteria population, making them vulnerable to modern medicines. The human race has single handedly progressed the evolution of deadly bacteria, such as tuberculosis and measles.
In conclusion, when bacteria is our most deadly predator, we should be more wary when it comes to how we fight them. We should practice getting vaccinated regularly to prevent another outbreak of bacteria. If we want the human race to survive as long as possible, we should focus on not only practicing good habits, but teaching and passing them onto our children as well. Adding on, we should edit modern medicine to avoid fighting the common cold with antibiotics before they evolve to become an incurable virus as well. Working on improving our medicines and practices, such as washing hands regularly, is the only way that we can protect ourselves and the future generation.
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