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Why are people afraid of vaccines? The already strong evidence of their safety got stronger in March with the release of a large Danish study that addressed several objections to previous studies and found that the measles vaccine poses no additional risk of developing autism. Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported April 26 that there have been 704 cases of measles so far this year. “The suffering we are seeing today is completely avoidable,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Monday. “We know vaccines are safe because they’re among some of the most studied medical products we have.” (Michael Segal, 5/1)

Why does Mayor Pete want to force Muslim parents to inject their babies with pork? ...There are currently no Sharia-compliant, or “halal,” forms of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine available. They all contain traces of pork. Last August, the Indonesian Ulema Council issued a fatwa against the vaccine before backing down under government pressure and declaring the shots “mubah” — something Muslims can use if necessary, but should avoid if possible.As a result, MMR immunization rates are lower in places like Indonesia, Pakistan and Malaysia, and many parents cite religious objections as the reason they avoid the shots. The London Telegraph reports that “the race is on” for a halal MMR immunization, but many Muslims sincerely believe that getting the shots today is a violation of their faith. (Michael Graham, 5/2)

Solutions are available. It will take a multipronged, team approach to close the gaps in African-American health outcomes. Organizations across all sectors must work together — government and businesses to make equitable investments in black communities, health care to make concerted efforts to build trust, and community-based organizations to make improving health a priority.This will not be easy. But I am an optimist, and I believe that together, we can make black American health inequities history. (Sherri Onyiego, 5/1)

As we mark the end of National Minority Health Month, we must continue to highlight the health disparities that affect minority communities year-round. One disease that takes a disproportionate toll on African-Americans and Latinos is colorectal cancer.Minority communities have a higher rate of colorectal cancer and diagnosis at a later stage than Caucasian communities. Currently, both Latinos and African Americans are less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer. Only 45 percent of Hispanics and 57 percent of African Americans receive preventive screening tests, compared to 61 percent of Caucasians. (Cecelia Brewington, 5/1)

So far this year — that’s some 120 days — there have been more than 100 other mass shootings, more than 4,500 gun deaths (not counting suicides) and more than 8,400 gun injuries. And so there is no question that is more pertinent than the one asked by that terrified UNC Charlotte student: “Why?” We, of course, know the answer: There are too many guns. Americans make up about 4.4 percent of the global population but own 42 percent of the world’s guns. Access to firearms — even weapons made for war such as the one wielded by the sociopath who fired on the California worshipers celebrating Passover — is pretty much unfettered. (5/1)

For many mental health patients, it takes months or even years of trial and error before they find an effective therapy for their condition. For example, a person with bipolar disorder may experience years of chaos: difficulty with relationships, struggles at work, school dropouts, hospitalizations, homelessness, substance abuse and even incarcerations. However, once they find the right treatment and become stable, most people diagnosed with bipolar disorder can and do get better.So when insurance companies switch people off their medications, it drastically complicates the picture, resulting in negative consequences for patients and those around them. (Greg Hansch, 5/1)

The current shortage of long-term homes means the children are placed in a series of “hotline homes,” way stations on the path to a permanent placement. Kids can often get shuttled to two or three different homes before finding that long-term home. They get to relive their separation trauma over and over. (Stan Rosenberg, 5/1)

Reporting by the Globe’s Kay Lazar shows that kids under state care bounce from one temporary foster care home to another and often wait months for mental health services. In a state touted as a technology hub, DCF still relies partly on an old-school, paper-based system to match children with available foster homes. And in a world of instant text messaging, foster parents say this agency is a poor communicator, leaving them without crucial information about the children they take in as well as other support measures. (4/30)