Measles was eliminated in the year 2000. So, why, 19 years later, is there another measles outbreak in the US?
Since the beginning of this year, there have been 465 cases of measles. That’s more than there were in ALL of 2018!
Right now, the states with 3 or more cases of measles are: New York, Washington, California, New Jersey, and Michigan. According to the CDC, the outbreaks are a result of travelers who brought the disease back from other countries. The majority of people who got measles were unvaccinated.
Let me repeat that…
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO GOT MEASLES WERE UNVACCINATED!
My vaccine soapbox
As a Pediatrician and a mom of five, I find this to be outrageous for a developed country, with access to medical care. My husband knows me very well and knows that two things I can talk about all day are breastfeeding and vaccines. It breaks my heart to see young children have to suffer (or even die!) from illnesses that are completely preventable. All because their parents chose not to vaccinate them.
Parents don’t realize that they’re not only hurting their children and their families by choosing not to vaccinate, but they’re potentially hurting those children and adults who simply can’t receive vaccines because they’re either too young or they’re immune system is too compromised. A child undergoing chemotherapy for cancer can’t get the live vaccines that they need to protect them against Chicken pox and Measles. A baby younger than 2 months can’t get the protection against whooping cough or the flu that they need – and I’ve unfortunately watched babies suffer in the ICU with both. Of course, as a parent, you get to decide what you feel is best for your child, but when those choices start to affect the health of others around you, I have a problem with that.
This doesn’t go for just measles – this goes for all of the vaccines out there. To have a parent decide that they’d rather run the risk of their child contracting (or dying from) Tetanus, Whooping Cough, Diphtheria, Polio, Meningitis, Bacteria in their blood, Pneumonia, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A, Chicken Pox, Measles, Mumps, or Rubella, Cervical Cancer, the Flu – is beyond me! As a parent, I can’t fathom it. I can’t take that risk with my child.
I wouldn’t place my child in the car without a car seat or seat belt. I wouldn’t leave my child in a swimming pool without a life vest or supervision. I do everything I can in order to protect my children from danger and to save their lives. So why wouldn’t I vaccinate them?
Off of my soap box, and back to Measles…
The symptoms usually start 7-14 days after being exposed. They include a high fever, runny nose, red eyes, a cough, and white spots in the mouth. The typical measles rash starts 3-5 days after the symptoms begin. Flat red spots start on the face and spread downwards. The spots may look like they “join together” as they spread.
Measles is very contagious, and is spread through mucous (coughing and sneezing). It can live in the air for 2 hours. The CDC reports that 90% of people who are exposed to a person with measles will catch it if they’re not immune to it (vaccinated, or had it previously). NINETY PERCENT! It’s THAT contagious! And people infected with measles can spread it 4 days before and 4 days after the rash breaks out – many times before they even know they have the virus!
So, what’s the big deal with measles?
A little fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes won’t hurt anyone. But, it’s the complications that can be dangerous. Mild complications include ear infections and diarrhea. But serious complications (especially in kids less than age 5) include pneumonia, hearing loss, seizures, and swelling of the brain (encephalitis).
Another major complication that may not show itself right away is something called Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis or SSPE. It causes inflammation of the brain, and is rare, but deadly since there is no treatment for it. SSPE can show up 7-10 years after a measles infection, so even if someone makes it through their current infection just fine, there is always this risk later in life. The risk is higher in children who get measles before age 2. Again, why would I not protect my children?
Measles vaccine
The MMR (Measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is recommended to be given at 12-15 months and boosted at 4-6 years. Getting both doses gives you 97% protection against measles.
To protect against measles, it’s important to ensure that your protection is up to date before you travel internationally (and now to states with outbreaks!). A simple blood test can tell you if you need another boost in the vaccine, since the protection for measles and other vaccines can decrease as you get older.
The measles vaccine was developed in 1963, at a time when there were an estimated 3-4 million cases of measles in the US every year! We can’t allow our country to get back to this. So, please, please, please protect your children, yourself, and urge those around you to do the same! We don’t know how long this outbreak will last. We can’t continue to risk the lives of our children.
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