Bible Belt could pose measles risk for Frislan: 'Prevent him'

The question, Hofstra points out, is whether the regional outbreak in the South will end now or continue.

“If it reaches the Bible Belt, where the vaccination rate is very low, it could lead to an epidemic there. We last saw that in 2013.”

In this Christian sector, the vaccination rate is lower than in other regions. Ultra-Orthodox believers are choosing to vaccinate less often, because according to some it can be a denial of God's providence.

But this choice may have consequences for the surrounding areas, such as Fryslan.

“Then you see that if there are a lot of measles cases in the Bible Belt, there is also an introduction in Frieslan and other provinces. The vaccination rate is high there, but not high enough to completely keep it away.”

For many people the condition is not so bad. “But in the previous epidemic we saw one person die,” Hofstra says.

“Measles can also have an effect on your immune system: anyone who gets it will have a much weaker immune system in the following years, making it more likely that other diseases will have an impact. You can also suffer from complications, such as pneumonia or, in some cases, encephalitis.”

This slogan is: Prevention is better than cure. “It is easier to prevent through vaccination, as it has much fewer side effects than if you had measles.”