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Vaccinations save lives, protect our children and are one of our greatest public health achievements. As public health officials, our role is to advance the health of the American people. This must include championing vaccinations. Diseases like polio, measles, diphtheria and rubella were once common in the United States, afflicting hundreds of thousands of infants, children and adults, and killing thousands each year. Some older Americans may remember the fear associated with polio outbreaks and the era of iron lungs and leg braces — a time when swimming pools and movie theaters closed over concerns about the spread of the crippling disease. (Brett P. Giroir, Robert R. Redfield and Jerome M. Adams, 3/6)

The middle of a measles outbreak may not seem like the best time to stand up for the eccentric preferences of the people who caused it. But Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is a libertarian, which means he is used to challenging conventional wisdom. His thoughts on mandatory vaccinations, however, only confirm that conventional wisdom is sometimes genuine wisdom. At a hearing Tuesday, Paul made two points in opposition to requiring measles inoculations for children. The first: “For myself and my children I believe that the benefits of vaccines greatly outweigh the risks, but I still don’t favor giving up on liberty for a false sense of security.” (Steve Chapman, 3/6)

On Monday, the editorial board endorsed a bill that would eliminate the personal exemption for the measles vaccine. While that bill has merit, it’s too limited. The Senate has a better bill we support that would eliminate the personal exemption for all childhood vaccines. This bill is the most responsible public health response to the measles epidemic in our state. (3/6)