Brian Williams brought on infamous Ebola quarantine violator Dr. Nancy Snyderman on Tuesday's NBC Nightly News for her take on the resurgence of measles. Dr. Snyderman underlined that "it's inherently important that those of us who are healthy vaccinate ourselves to protect those who are less vulnerable in society. That's why it's called public health." [video below] Of course, the NBC chief medical editor possibly put the "less vulnerable in society" at risk when she got take-out after returning from the Ebola hot zone in Africa.
Dr. Snyderman gave the same warning in a series of Twitter posts earlier in the day:
February 3, 2015
February 3, 2015
Mediaite's Evan McMurry pointed out on Wednesday that the TV personality received some backlash for her Tweets. She then defensively responded to the criticisms on Tuesday and Wednesday:
February 3, 2015
February 4, 2015
February 4, 2015
February 4, 2015
It should be pointed out that Dr. Snyderman was much more apologetic back in December 2014 when she came back from her two-month leave of absence: "I'm very sorry for not only scaring my community and the country, but adding to the confusion."
The transcript of the Dr. Nancy Snyderman segment from Tuesday's NBC Nightly News:
BRIAN WILLIAMS: We're joined by our chief medical editor, Doctor Nancy Snyderman. And Nancy, I know your view is, forget measles. The comebacks could not perhaps stop at measles.
NANCY SNYDERMAN, M.D., NBC NEWS CHIEF MEDICAL EDITOR: You and I have sat here for the last few months talking about whooping cough; mumps; and now, measles. These outbreaks aren't an accident. They're happening because we've become rather lax. We forget what these diseases look like; we forget that they kill, and we forget that a simple vaccine can prevent these illnesses. It's inherently important that those of us who are healthy vaccinate ourselves to protect those who are less vulnerable in society. That's why it's called public health.
And what concerns me is that this may be the canary in the coal mine. We see a break in public health in this country. There is no debate: vaccines save lives. What if a year – two years from now, you and I are sitting here and talking about the first case of polio in this country. I don't think we can be so cocky as to say that can't happen. So this should be the call to arms.
WILLIAMS: Doctor Nancy Snyderman with a cautionary note here after our coverage – Nancy, thank you, as always.
