Kenneth Copeland MInistries Now Preach Vaccinations Since Church Had Measles Outbreak
A Measles outbreak is a serious issue and it appears that the latest outbreak here in the U.S. came from a popular Texas megachurch.
Popular Pastor Kenneth Copeland's Eagle Mountain International Church in Newark, Texas is the most recent measles outbreak which shocked many people. The virus has sickened 25 people, most of whom are members or visitors of a church The church is led by the daughter of televangelist Kenneth Copeland.
According to Tarrant County Public Health spokesman Al Roy, the outbreak was started by a visitor to the church who had recently traveled to a country where measles remains common.
Health officials notified the church of the measles outbreak Aug. 14, and the church sponsored a vaccination clinic Aug. 18.
All of the school-age children infected in the Eagle Mountain outbreak were home-schooled, health officials say. Texas requires children be vaccinated before attending school.
This measles outbreak affected nine children and six adults, ranging in age from 4 months old to 44 years old. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 12 of those infected were not fully immunized against measles. The other patients have no record of being vaccinated.
The 4-month-old is too young to have been received the measles vaccine, which is typically given at 1.
There are reports that the leader of the church has a change of heart. Previously, the Founder of the church, Kenneth Copeland stated he did not believe in vaccinations because he stated it may be linked to autism in children. Now, he is singing a different tune and he's preaching the importance of getting vaccinations to his church members. Of course he would backtrack his statements because of the seriousness of his church being statistically a part of a national measles outbreak.
Robert Hayes, a spokesman for the church, stated: "We have never taken an anti-vaccine position. It has never been preached by this pulpit or put forth by our leadership."
ABC News reported:
Russell Jones, an epidemiologist with the Tarrant County Health Department, said that the church has been cooperative with public health efforts to prevent further spread of measles. Jones said that the church's clinics have already provided more than 200 measles vaccinations though he was unsure about what percentage of the congregation that represented.
In a statement on the church website, the daughter who is the pastor of the church Terri Copeland Pearsons said she was not against immunizations, but also raised concerns about them.
"Some people think I am against immunizations, but that is not true," the statement said. "Vaccinations help cut the mortality rate enormously. I believe it is wrong to be against vaccinations. The concerns we have had are primarily with very young children who have family history of autism and with bundling too many immunizations at one time. There is no indication of the autism connection with vaccinations in older children. Furthermore, the new MMR vaccination is without thimerosal (mercury), which has also been a concern to many."
