There has been a mumps outbreak at Temple University and now the disease has made its way to West Chester thanks to an un-vaccinated student making a weekend trip to the Philly campus.

Mumps WAS basically a completely eradicated (with the exception of some third world countries) due to medical advancements and the development vaccinations. So were the measles. Recently, though, we have been seeing both diseases making a comeback and spreading throughout the United States. Why is this happening?

Because people are not getting vaccinated.

The reason people avoid vaccinations is because of the belief that vaccines are linked to Autism. This false claim was first made in 1997 by Andrew Wakefield, a British surgeon, after conducting a study on the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine and its relation to Autism. However, the methods and procedure followed in the study were full of errors and violations, discrediting the study and its so-called findings. Nonetheless, the idea that the MMR vaccine causes Autism got enough attention that people stopped vaccinating their kids.

Now, over 20 years later, diseases that were nearly extinct are making a comeback, putting the un-vaccinated at risk. The kids getting infected on college campuses are the ones who never got their MMR vaccine. With proper medical treatment, they can overcome the infection and get better.

These outbreaks, however, are extremely concerning for the immuno-compromised population. Immuno-compromised persons such as those with cancer or other debilitating conditions are not un-vaccinated by choice. Their immune systems are too weak to handle even a dead pathogen in a booster shot. Contact with live pathogens of diseases like measles or mumps will put their lives in jeopardy. Immune-compromised persons do not have the ability to combat diseases like people with normally functioning immune systems do. Becoming infected with measles or mumps will make them extremely ill and could further lead to worse conditions.

Those who are vaccinated should not need to worry about catching measles or mumps. But those who are not vaccinated should be on alert and may want to consider getting that MMR vaccine now - for your own health and safety AND also for the health and safety of the people around you. You never know who may be immuno-compromised.

There is absolutely NO link between the MMR vaccine and Autism.

Numerous credible studies without procedural flaws or ethical violations have also been conducted. Results do not support the MMR vaccine increasing the risk of Autism or triggering the onset of Autism after vaccination. There is not a significant difference in the number of vaccinated and un-vaccinated Autistic persons.

Stop believing that the popular myth is true.

Get educated and get vaccinated.