As of May 12th, 59 Harvard students have been diagnosed with the mumps. The outbreak began in February. Numbers continue to rise despite the fact that the MMR vaccine (a live attenuated combination vaccine that includes weakened measles, mumps, and rubella viruses) is required for all students.
In March, the local public health department reported that all of the students who had contracted the mumps had received their MMR vaccinations – 2 MMR vaccines.
On their website the CDC states, “The measles vaccine is very effective. One dose of measles vaccine is about 93% effective at preventing measles if exposed to the virus and two doses are about 97% effective.” Although this outbreak appears to be a clear case of vaccine failure, students are now being advised to get a booster shot.
On their site, the CDC also continues to claim viral shedding of live virus does not occur with the MMR shot. Several studies have found otherwise. It does seem counterintuitive to try and battle this outbreak by giving booster shots. First, the vaccine failed. Second, the recipient’s immune system would receive a third assault along with exposure to all of the known risks. Third, vaccine shedding may cause infection.
Outbreaks of mumps have been occurring on both high school and college campuses among the vaccinated for years. In 2006, many college campuses experienced outbreaks with more than 6,500 reported cases.
Here are the annual numbers of confirmed mumps cases as reported by the CDC from 2010 until now.
- 2010 – 2,612
- 2011 – 370
- 2012 – 229
- 2013 – 584
- 2014 – 1,223
- 2015 – 1,057
The CDC’s preliminary case count for 2016 as of April 29 is 727.
Mumps is a virus that is spread through saliva and mucous. Those infected are believed to be contagious before they become symptomatic and up to five days after initial symptoms occur. Coughing, sneezing, talking, sharing cups or eating utensils, and touching surfaces that have become contaminated will spread the disease.
While mumps is generally a mild disease, it can cause complications including:
- encephalitis – inflammation of the brain
- meningitis – inflammation of the tissue covering the brain and the spinal cord
- mastitis – inflammation of breast tissue in post-pubescent females
- oophoritis – inflammation of the ovaries in post-pubescent females
- orchitis – inflammation of the testicles in post-pubescent males
- deafness
All of these complications and more are listed as possible side effects of the MMR vaccine on the package insert.
In regards to the current outbreak, once again, there is no explanation as to why the MMR is not providing protection from the virus. Instead, students will be put at risk for vaccine injury with a third dose of an ineffective vaccine.
Related Reading:
- The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness
- How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
- Vaccines, Retroviruses, DNA, and the Discovery That Destroyed Judy Mikovits’ Career
- How Plumbing (Not Vaccines) Eradicated Disease
- Influenza Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness of the Flu Shot
- A Burden of Guilt – Learning About Vaccine Dangers the Hard Way
- Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
Sources:
- Harvard mumps outbreak grows; dozens infected – CNN
- Harvard mumps outbreak now 59 cases – Outbreak News Today
- Vaccines and Immunizations – CDC
- Mumps Cases and Outbreaks – CDC
- The Emerging Risks of Live Virus & Virus Vectored Vaccines: Vaccine Strain Virus Infection, Shedding & Transmission – NVIC
- Studies Show that Vaccinated Individuals Spread Disease Should the Recently Vaccinated be Quarantined to Prevent Outbreaks? – Weston Price Foundation
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