Have you heard the news? Mumps is back, and you can thank the ding-dong anti-vaxxers.

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Apparently in mid-February, Dallas hosted a giant cheerleading competition with about 23,000 people in all. Now officials are saying that these folks may have been exposed to mumps.

This has created the perfect storm for an outbreak, as 39 states and nine countries were involved. That's a heck of a lot of people potentially spreading a completely preventable disease across the globe. Oh, and yes, people can DIE from the mumps. (Editor's note: So far, no one in Texas has caught mumps from being at this competition.)

So that's the facts of the story. Now it's time to get down to the brass tacks.

I understand that there are people in this country who have been seriously misled about vaccines thanks to bogus websites and discredited studies. I guess it's okay that an anti-vaxxer would rather have a chance at a dead kid than having a kid with autism (once again, there is NO connection, other than the one in their minds, but this is indeed the choice they are making).

Although I feel immensely sorry for the children of these ignorant people, it's time that we quit letting the anti-vaxx crowd mix in with public events like this. Someone's ignorance of the hard science has put a lot of other people at risk, some of whom can't have vaccines for medical reasons.

 

It's sad we have to do it, but those who live outside societal rules need to live outside of society. Proof of vaccination should be REQUIRED for anyone who participates in this type of activity.

The opinions above are those of the author and not necessarily reflective of Townsquare Media, its advertisers or affiliates. 

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