As political chatter raises questions about vaccines and legal requirements for them, some news close to home should remind us of their importance.

According to the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, a measles outbreak was confirmed in the county on Aug. 29. Three children from the same family — all unvaccinated. And while those children are reportedly improving at home, the health department’s task now is to work with the family “to identify and follow-up with any exposure and contacts, and help where needed.”

The Ohio news made its way into a report by the University of Minnesota, which was also sharing the confirmation of 9 more measles cases in a Wisconsin outbreak that has reached 23 cases. All 23 of those case-patients are unvaccinated, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services said “The ongoing investigation indicates that measles is spreading locally.”

In Muskingum County, the health department urged residents, “Talk to your healthcare provider about vaccination if you are unvaccinated or do not know if you are vaccinated. The (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is safe and effective with hundreds of millions of doses given.”

The vaccine is safe. Measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases are dangerous — maybe even deadly. According to the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, “Nearly 1 to 3 out of 1,000 people with measles will die, even with the best care.” A person with measles is not facing a danger only to their own health, but the possibility that it might be spread to others as well.

Don’t let political fear-mongering stop you from keeping your kids, your family and your community healthier.