How to talk to anti-vaccination parents

We look at the measles outbreaks, the underlying reasons parents don't vaccinate their children and efforts by public health officials to change their minds.

Air Date: April 30, 2019 10:00 am

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Guests: Paul Offit, Alison Buttenheim

Measles cases in the United States are at a record high since the disease was considered eliminated in 2000. There have been outbreaks in Washington, New Jersey, New York, and California, where measles quarantines are in place at two universities. This hour, we’ll discuss the recent outbreaks of the highly contagious virus and how states are responding to them. We’ll also look at the underlying reasons parents don’t vaccinate their children and how public health officials are trying to persuade them. Our guests are PAUL OFFIT, professor of vaccinology and pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and ALISON BUTTENHEIM, Associate Professor at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.