An epidemic is a sudden, widespread occurrence of an undesirable phenomenon, typically an infectious disease. As a retired physician and pediatrician with over 30 years of experience, I have seen many epidemics, including influenza and RSV in Arkansas, as well as occasional outbreaks of other respiratory viruses and chickenpox.

I was fortunate to avoid treating covid-19 directly; however, my daughter, an emergency room physician, treated many individuals who chose not to be vaccinated and subsequently either died or were hospitalized due to the disease. I have never encountered a case of measles and hope that most physicians in Arkansas, except those at Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH), will continue to avoid it.

Unfortunately, I have witnessed three children succumb to........

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