3 weeks Ago By Tom McGhie, Eleanor Tolbert
Despite a devastating measles outbreak claiming the lives of two children in Seminole, Texas , many residents remain resolute in their decision to reject vaccination - even as the death toll rises . The most recent victim, eight year old Daisy Hildebrand, succumbed to the disease . Her father, Peter Hildebrand, disputes the cause of her death, however.
"She did not die of the measles. If there's one thing you should know, it's that. She was failed," he asserted.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that measles was indeed the cause of Daisy's tragic passing. Hildebrand also expressed his distrust of the MMR vaccine. He said: "'The [MMR] vaccine ain't worth a damn.
My brother's family got it and they all still got sick – worse than my unvaccinated kids. This isn't about the vaccine." Instead, he attributes his daughter's death to alleged shortcomings in her medical care, including inadequate treatment and prejudice against their Mennonite faith, which emphasizes "natural remedies" over conventional medicine, reports the Daily Star .
The community's resistance to vaccination persists, with some residents labeling the measles vaccine as "dangerous stuff" and claiming that "Big Pharma" manufactures it solely for profit. This stance remains unchanged despite the growing measles crisis and the loss of young lives in Seminole. Daisy fell sick around a month ago, initially showing symptoms of fever and a sore throat, which later developed into pneumonia.
When the family's home remedy of cod liver oil didn't work, they rushed Daisy to the hospital. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with strep throat, mononucleosis (an infectious viral disease), and measles. Despite receiving antibiotics and being discharged, her health deteriorated drastically within just three days.
She was urgently brought back to the hospital with severe pneumonia and treated once more, but sadly, she did not survive this time. Daisy became the second child in her community to die from measles, following six year old Kayley Fehr – who was also unvaccinated and belonged to the same Mennonite community - just a few weeks earlier. Despite these devastating losses, residents of Seminole are still hesitant to vaccinate their children.
Two Mennonite residents, Helen and Helena, shared contrasting opinions on vaccinations. One said she vaccinated her children because it was the right thing to do, while the other abstained, believing diseases like measles "make their immune system stronger." Another resident, Joselyn, expressed her reluctance to vaccinate her children, referring to instances of people who have had adverse reactions.
Judy disclosed that her family has chosen not to get the MMR vaccine because they "don't like the things in it." Out of the 700 measles cases in the US, 541 have been reported in Texas alone - and 70% of these cases involve children and young infants. Measles is an infectious virus that weakens the immune system, leaving those infected more vulnerable to subsequent infections like pneumonia.
Those who have been vaccinated have a significantly lower risk of catching the disease, with the vaccine showing 93% effectiveness after one dose and increasing to 97% effectiveness after a second dose. Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sports and entertainment stories..
