SYRACUSE --
The U.S. only averaged about 60 measles cases for most of the 2000s. In 2011 that number jumped up to 222. That's a concern for parents like Trish Hemmerlein. Her son got his vaccination shots but she's worried about what a measles comeback could mean for future children.
"It does worry me. If I have another kid - if it will affect the other kid I had before they get their shots. It is scary - it's very scary," said Hemmerlein as she watched her son play on the playground.
Measles is still relatively rare here in the United States but that is not the case in the rest of the world and doctors say that's all the more reason children need to be vaccinated.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 90% of the recent measles cases in the U.S. can be traced back to foreign countries with low vaccination rates. At Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital in Syracuse, pediatric infectious disease specialist Joe Domachowske said he's concerned people aren't thinking about measles when they travel.
"Even people going to Europe, people going to London, people going to France - they need to make sure their shots are up to date. There were 37,000 cases of measles in Europe last year," said Domachowske.
Measles is 100% preventable by vaccine and the CDC said those who are not vaccinated put themselves and others at risk of contracting the virus. There are also vaccination skeptics. Barbara Low Fisher from the National Vaccine Information Center said parents need to make their own educated decision about any vaccinations.
"If you go in to get vaccinated or take your child in, you need to understand what some of the risk factors are as well as the benefits of the vaccination," said Fisher in a phone interview.
Measles is highly contagious but there has not been a measles related death in the U.S. since 2008.
No one has died from measles in the U.S. since 2008 and more than 90% of children in the U.S. are vaccinated against the disease.
