vaccinations

He enlists the aid of real doctors to spread the message.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he's surprised by the reaction to comments he made about vaccinations during a recent trip to the United Kingdom.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The number of measles cases in California has reached 123 in the wake of a December outbreak at Disneyland.

What are the facts behind a persistent debate over the safety of childhood vaccinations?

All Garden State children who attend school are required to receive a series of vaccinations, but last year more than 10,000 youngsters were granted special waivers to skip the shots.

Health officials say the number of U.S. measles cases this year has risen to 141.

Despite resistance by some parents to immunizations for measles and other childhood diseases, more than 95 percent of New Jersey school children have received such vaccinations, the state's chief health officer says.

The following Q & A, addressing childhood vaccinations, is presented here with permission from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More detailed information on vaccines and vaccine safety can be found on the CDC website.

While much of the attention in the ongoing measles outbreak has focused on student vaccination requirements and exemptions, less attention has been paid to another group in the nation's classrooms: Teachers and staff members, who, by and large, are not required to be vaccinated.

BERLIN (AP) -- Authorities in Berlin say a spike in measles infections has been traced to unvaccinated refugees but at least two measles cases appear to have come from the United States.