"These diseases were particularly dangerous for Rhett, whose immune system had been wiped out by leukemia treatments. As a pint-sized advocate at the State Capitol, Rhett asked legislators to keep unvaccinated kids out of school via Senate Bill 277. "Thank you for making sure that kids like me don't get sick at school. Please vote 'yes' on SB 277, so that we can all say gone with the measles,""
"In 2025, the U.S. had the largest number of measles cases in 33 years, with more than 1,828 cases and counting. But even though California is the most populous state, just 22 people developed the disease this year, with no local outbreaks reported. It's a major reversal from a decade ago, when a measles outbreak at Disneyland in 2015 made California the center of the anti-vaccine spotlight. That outbreak sickened 131 people, mainly unvaccinated children."
Rhett Krawitt testified before state legislators at age seven urging passage of Senate Bill 277 to exclude unvaccinated children from school. Rhett's immune system had been wiped out by leukemia treatments, making vaccine-preventable diseases especially dangerous for him. California experienced surges in measles and whooping cough from 2010 to 2015, including a 2015 Disneyland measles outbreak and deadly pertussis outbreaks that left 13 people dead. The Krawitt family became prominent advocates against the rising anti-vaccination movement and helped mobilize support for the law. By 2025 the U.S. saw its largest measles surge in decades, while California reported just 22 cases and no local outbreaks.
Read at SFGATE
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]