MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Public health officials and community leaders say even before federal immigration authorities began carrying out immigration enforcement, crackdown in minneapolisa crisis was approaching.

measles vaccination In-state rates large Somali community The population plummeted as the myth that bullets cause autism spread. There have been fewer than four measles outbreaks since 2011, but this trend has not been reversed. But recently, immunization advocates have pointed to small victories like mobile clinics and the Vaccine Reliability Task Force.

Now, with the US joining in, On the verge of losing measles elimination statusthose on the front lines of the fight against vaccine misinformation say a lot of progress has been lost. Many residents are afraid to even leave their homes Seek medical advice or visit a clinic.

“People are worried about survival,” said nurse Munira Malimisak, CEO of the Inspire Change Clinic near Minneapolis, where many Somalis live. “People never think about vaccines. But this is a big problem.”

Inspire Change’s discussion group for Somali mothers has moved online indefinitely. In community WhatsApp groups and other channels, parents have more pressing priorities. It’s about who will take care of the children when they can’t go to school. How can I safely get my groceries and prescriptions?

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, in 2006, 92% of Somali 2-year-olds were up to date on measles vaccinations. The current rate is closer to 24%, according to state data. Measles, a highly contagious disease, requires a 95% infection rate to prevent an outbreak.

Marimisak said local vaccination efforts come in cycles, with efforts starting and stopping.

Imam Yusuf Abdul said immigration authorities are holding everything back.

“People are stuck at home and can’t go to work,” he said. “That’s madness. And the last thing you should think about is talking about autism or talking about vaccinations for children. Adults can’t leave the house and forget about children.”

The autism rate for Somali 4-year-olds is estimated to be 3.5 times the autism rate for white 4-year-olds in Minnesota, according to data from the University of Minnesota. Researchers say they don’t know why. And in this vacuum of scientific certainty, inaccurate beliefs flourish.

Many people blame the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination. One shot has been shown to safely protect against three viruses, and the first shot is recommended at 12 to 15 months of age.

In November, at one of Maarimisak’s last Mother’s Circle meetings, Somali mothers and grandmothers asked the facilitator questions en masse. Won’t vaccinating babies for three viruses overwhelm them? Why does autism seem to be more prevalent here than back home?

Marimisak and her committee explained that the vaccine has been tested for safety. They warned that delaying shots because of measles was dangerous. highest spread We’ve been able to do that in this country for over 30 years.

Local health authorities have followed best practices for years, including recruiting community members for vaccine drives, hosting mobile clinics, and promoting the work of Somali health care providers like Maarimisak.

However, efforts have repeatedly started and ended. federal funding cuts Efforts have been affected, and public health officials acknowledge that their efforts could be more consistent and comprehensive.

Most parents here will eventually vaccinate their children. Many families in Somalia prefer to wait until their children are five years old, despite a lack of evidence that doing so reduces autism rates. Measles is endemic in Somalia, where war and international aid cuts continue. paralyzed the medical systemand other parts of East Africa that residents here frequently travel to.

“Measles is just a plane ride away. Measles is going to find people who aren’t vaccinated,” said Carly Edson, immunization outreach coordinator for the state health department. “We are always at risk.”

A relationship of trust with patients and parents has been broken down.

Approximately 84,000 Somalis live in the Twin Cities region. 260,000 people nationwide. This community is the largest in the United States and is made up mostly of American citizens. Before the immigration crackdown, mosques and shopping malls were crowded at night with people gathering to drink chai and have henna painted on their hands.

Right now, many people in the community want to lie down. People are afraid to receive regular medical care. Without these touchpoints, trust can quickly erode, Marimisak said.

Of the final group of Somali mothers at the clinic, 83% had vaccinated their children by the end of the 12-month program, she said. Some people created 10-second videos explaining why they got vaccinated. However, those efforts have been temporarily halted.

Parents here have long faced racism and isolation while building strong communities. They want answers about autism rates, but science has no simple answers about the causes of lifelong neurological conditions, said Mahdi Warsama, CEO of the Somali Parents Autism Network.

Warsama cited President Trump’s baseless claim from last fall that taking Tylenol during pregnancy can cause autism. This is where anxiety and doubts arose. The idea that the MMR shot should be split into three vaccines — 1 person supports; Jim O’Neill, acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said vaccinations without scientific basis are also becoming more widespread, but no single shot is available in the United States.

Warsama traced the issue back more than a decade, when discredited researcher Andrew Wakefield published a study that claimed a link between autism and the MMR vaccine, which was later retracted. Wakefield visited with Somalis in the Twin Cities in 2011..

“Those who spread misinformation will always fill the void,” Warsama said.

Doctors try new strategy to reach parents

Fatuma Sharif Mohamed, a community health educator in Somalia, said parents want to be listened to, not debated, which is why short-term doctor’s appointments don’t work.

“That 15 minutes isn’t going to change a parent’s mind,” she says.

Some doctors describe the work as time-consuming and arduous, working beyond the confines of the office. It takes multiple visits, sometimes years, to change a family’s mind.

Dr. Brian Feit, leader of the Minnesota Pediatric Vaccine Trust Committee, said new strategies are in the works, including social media videos from doctors and possibly prenatal classes for expectant parents.

“I will call you within five days, and there will be no changes to this speech,” Feit told the hesitant parents.

Overall, MMR vaccination rates in Minnesota kindergartens have declined by more than 6 percentage points over the past five years, compared to a 2 percentage point decline nationally.

State data suggests efforts to help children catch up may be effective. Less than one in four Somali children in Minnesota has received a measles vaccine by age 2, but 86% have received at least one dose by age 6, slightly below the state’s overall vaccination rate of 89%.

Doctors are especially concerned about unprotected young children because serious complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling and blindness are more common.

Imam Abdul said when his parents ask about vaccines, he tells his story. He didn’t object to it, but he made the mistake of waiting. Abdul said her son was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old and later received vaccinations.

Parents are reminded that correlation is not causation.

Abdul said the community does not want to be treated as the cause of the disease. However, there is a public perception that measles will not go away after outbreaks in 2011, 2017, 2022, and 2024.

“It’s our children who are getting sick,” Abdul said. “Our community is suffering.”

Last year, there were 26 measles cases in Minnesota. The state health department said the cases are spread to several different areas with high concentrations of unvaccinated people.

In Marimisak’s mothers’ circle, the most effective words often come not from doctors but from fellow parents like Milad Farah. Farah’s daughter was born prematurely. She was worried that there would be too many MMR shots and her vaccination would be delayed. Her daughter still developed autism.

“So what did that teach me?” she asked the room. “We confirm that autism is not caused by MMR.”

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