Measles outbreak re-sparks vaccine debate

More than 100 measles cases were reported in January 2015, following a record-breaking year of the disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were more than 600 measles cases in the U.S. in 2014. That is the highest number since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated from the country.

The outbreak is re-sparking debate over vaccines.

“I think that the educations and the science supports the fact that these vaccinations are essential to the well-being of not just the person being vaccinated, but who they could possibly expose,” parent Patricia Cameron said.

Online, a letter written by Roald Dahl, author of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Matilda,” is going viral. In it, he talked about losing his daughter to the measles before a vaccine was available. And he urged parents to vaccinate their kids.

But not everyone is on the same page about vaccines, and some say it’s a choice best left to parents.

“Parents need to have some measure of choice in things as well. So that’s the balance the government has to decide,” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said. “But I can just tell people from our perspective, Mary Pat and I have had our children vaccinated.”

The CDC recommends all children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, which covers measles, mumps and rubella.