Religious Communities Increase Risk Of Deadly Outbreaks

"At the end of last month, epidemiologists in Texas traced the source of a measles outbreak to a right-wing megachurch whose pastor has preached against vaccines. Even though about 98 percent of Texas residents are vaccinated against the highly contagious disease, the congregants who attended that evangelical church represented a pocket of unprotected people, and measles was able to spread rapidly.

Fortunately, that outbreak was able to be pretty well-contained — after the disease sickened about 21 people, Texas issued a public health alert and quickly found the source of the issue. The megachurch's pastor was very cooperative and even agreed to host several free clinics to encourage the congregation to get their shots.

But the problem is that it's not an isolated incident. Although the Texas church is the only current example in the United States, an incredibly similar situation is also unfolding in Europe."* Ana Kasparian, Steve Oh, Dave Rubin (The Rubin Report) and Jimmy Dore (TYT Comedy) break it down on The Young Turks.

*Read more here from Tara Culp-Ressler / ThinkProgress: