This is how Britain sees America's measles outbreak

A California mother who chose not to vaccinate

(Image credit: YouTube/BBC)

published 5 February 2015

One clue that this isn't an American news report is that BBC journalist Alistair Leithead says the measles outbreak started at "Disneyland California." What follows is a refreshingly outsider look at the issue of vaccination in America, including some conversations with mothers who chose not to vaccinate.

Britain, of course, gave the U.S. Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his now-completely-discredited paper linking measles vaccines to autism, and the U.K.'s measles vaccination rate is 93 percent, according to WHO figures, just a hair above America's 92 percent. So, no condescension from Leithead, just an interesting glimpse of a top U.S. story through a foreigner's eyes. Watch below. —Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

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