28 | New Scientist | 21/28 December 2019

T

HE shocking resurgence of a deadly

but preventable childhood infection

this year has led to frustration and

shame, and sparked debate about the role

of public health systems and the limits of

personal liberty.

Figures from November revealed that

there were 1261 confirmed measles cases

in the US this year – up 239 per cent on 2018.

This is the highest number of cases since

1992. Most occurred in people who hadn’t
      been vaccinated against measles, and
      123 people were hospitalised. The largest
      outbreak, in New York City, was curbed just
      in time. “If it had gone on just one month
      longer, we would have lost our elimination
      status as a country,” says Lauren Gardner
      at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
      The UK did lose its World Health
      Organization elimination status in August.
      Measles has been bouncing back in Europe
      since the region’s record low in cases in


1993. But its return in the US has been
      more sudden. The disease initially took
      hold in New York state in ultra-Orthodox
      Jewish communities where resistance to
      vaccination was high and misinformation
      campaigns that included an anti-
      vaccination pamphlet deterred parents
      from following medical guidelines.
      To stop the disease spreading, Rockland
      county, New York, banned unvaccinated

children from entering public areas

such as schools and public transit, while

people in New York City were required

to provide proof of vaccination as part

of investigations to trace the spread of

the disease, or face a fine of $1000.

Although the science of the benefits

of vaccines is clear, there is debate about

how best to improve take-up and counter

misinformation. A recent study found

that California’s 2015 ban on non-medical

exemptions for vaccines based on religious

or philosophical beliefs had only a very

small effect on vaccination rates.

In March, Italy made vaccination

compulsory for all children attending state

schools. Similar measures are reportedly

under consideration in the UK, but some

health researchers have raised concerns

that these could backfire.

Amid all this, the role of misinformation

still remains unclear, at least in the UK.

It is unknown what proportion of children

miss their first or second MMR injection

due to logistical issues such as difficulty

in booking appointments rather than

anti-vaccination sentiment, for example. ❚

Trends of 2019

The tragic, unnecessary

return of measles

Once deemed a problem of the past in rich nations, the deadly

infection has made a huge comeback. Chelsea Whyte reports

Chelsea Whyte is a reporter

for New Scientist based in

Portland, Oregon

Review of the year

Asteroid mining

Two US firms, Planetary Resources

and Deep Space Industries, attempted

to kick off a solar system gold rush

at the start of this decade, while

Luxembourg bet millions on the

concept. All have quietly retreated

as asteroid mining turned out to be

a pie-in-the-sky idea.

Lab-grown meat

The world’s first burger made from

lab-grown cow cells was served to food

critics in 2013, at a cost of $325,000.

Since then, the price has dropped as

firms rush to commercialise their

products, but consumer interest is

waning as plant-based meat alternatives

become available.

05

0004

You are much

more likely

to die from

accidental

poisoning than

in a car accident

To read the stories behind

these incredible facts, visit

newscientist.com/2019-facts