HEALTHY FAMILY
Spotlight: Measles
The return of this
vaccine-preventable virus
A • A non-itchy rash
of red bumps or
blisters on the skin,
commonly but not
exclusively on the
palms of hands and
soles of feet
• A sore throat
• Sores on the tongue,
gums, inside of
cheeks and in the
back of the mouth
• Irritability 26 WashingtonFAMILY JUNE 2019
disease with few complications. Yet,
according to the CDC, measles can com-
monly bring on ear infections and diarrhea,
which can lead to big problems for small
children. Further, one in 20 children
with measles will contract pneumonia,
and one in 1,000 will develop encephali-
tis. One or two in 1,000 children who get
measles will die from it.

People who are not vaccinated or have
not received two doses of vaccine, those
with compromised immune systems and
pregnant women are most vulnerable,
and children under 5 or adults over 20
Spotting the problem
Measles is spread by contact with infected are more likely to suffer complications
drops of mucus from coughing and sneez- from measles.

ing or from touching contaminated surfaces
and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes. If you suspect exposure
The virus can even linger in the air for up to Healthy people who have received two doses
two hours after an infected person has been of the MMR vaccine are already protected
coughing or sneezing.

from measles. But if you may have been
It usually starts with an acute respi- exposed to measles and you have not been
ratory illness, with two to four days of vaccinated, or are not sure if you’ve received
fever over 101, cough, runny nose and two doses of the MMR vaccine, call your
watery or red eyes. The telltale spots doctor right away.

usually follow those earlier symptoms
Do not go in to your doctor’s office or a
as a flat, red rash that typically develops walk-in clinic without first calling and let-
about eight to 12 days after exposure, ting them know you may have been exposed
starting on the face and then spreading to measles — you could risk the health and
elsewhere on the body. Symptoms most safety of everyone in the office. Your doctor
often develop within 10 to 14 days after will be able to advise you on what to do next.

exposure (though they could be as early The local health department may be able to
as seven days or as late as 21).

arrange for you to have testing at home. You
A person with measles is extremely con- may need additional vaccine administration
tagious from four days before to four days or immunoglobulin, a medication that can
after the rash first appears. The CDC notes help strengthen your body’s natural defenses
that if one person has measles, up to 90 per- for fighting infection.

cent of people who come close to that person
will contract the disease if they have not Not up to date on
established immunity.

immunizations? Consult your doctor if you or your
child are not vaccinated or have not yet com-
No small threat
People might not fear contracting mea- pleted the two-dose schedule. There are also
sles because they haven’t personally seen vaccine resources available through the Mary-
it pose danger in their lifetime. Thanks land Department of Health. They’ve even hosted
to the tremendous success of the mea- some pop-up free clinics in high-risk areas to
sles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, some distribute immunizations to those in need.

The CDC’s immunization recommendations
people assume that it’s no longer a threat
or that even if contracted, it’s a mild say that children should get a first dose at age
cross the nation, at least 20 states
have reported measles cases this
spring in a widespread and some-
what unexpected outbreak, according to the
Centers for Disease Control. This spring, the
Maryland Department of Health confirmed a
third measles case in the Pikesville area, and
DMV parents started taking notice, too. In
2000, measles had been declared eliminated
in the U.S. due to the effectiveness of rou-
tine immunizations, so why has this disease
returned? IMGORTHAND/E+/GETTY IMAGES
Symptoms may
include: BY COURTNEY MCGEE



HEALTHY FAMILY
12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years.

Children younger than six months are not given
the MMR vaccine, but in some cases children
ages 6 to 12 months may receive a dose early,
for example, if a family will be traveling to a
place with an active measles outbreak, where
there is increased risk of exposure. If a child gets
two doses of the MMR vaccine before age 1, a
booster may be recommended at age 4.

Vaccines hold
the key
“Vaccinating is the best way to keep kids
safe,” says Dan Salmon, director of the
Institute for Vaccine Safety at the Johns
Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health. “What we don’t want to happen is
what has happened in Europe, where tens
of thousands of kids have measles, and
kids are dying.”
Salmon stresses the importance of
families having a doctor they can turn to
with any questions. “Parents should find
a pediatrician they can trust and talk to
with any concerns,” he says, adding that
there really is no more effective way to
prevent measles than getting vaccinated
according to immunization schedules,
with two doses of the MMR vaccine. “It is
97 percent effective, which means 3 per-
cent are still vulnerable, but that’s a very
high rate of effectiveness,” he says. “And
the MMR vaccine is very safe. Any side
effects are very minor or quite rare.”
Hesitancy and
exemptions “One in three people may be hesitant
about vaccines, but only about 1 per-
cent are actually against them,” Salmon
says. If you look at legitimate scientific
sources, it is nearly impossible to find
factual evidence for opposing vaccines.

“Pseudo science” is easy to come by,
especially online, where it can be hard
to tell fact from fiction, he says, but
there is so much real, scientific infor-
mation out there to calm the fears of
anyone who is hesitant.

Some people have conditions that
necessitate exemption from vaccines.

Some individuals refuse vaccinations for
religious reasons and D.C., Maryland and
Virginia all allow that exemption.

Protect everyone’s children
Barring the truly necessary exceptions, the
bottom line is that people who can get vacci-
nated need to do so, ASAP. Salmon reminds
parents to reflect on how “the decision you
make affects not just your child, but oth-
ers.” Consider vulnerable kids who cannot
get vaccinated, he says, such as infants or
children with leukemia — their safety relies
on your choices, too, he says. “What you do
impacts not just your child, but other, more
vulnerable children.” ■
Want more info? Check out
these additional resources:
Maryland Department of Health:
health.maryland.gov/measles Virginia Department of Health:
vdh.virginia.gov Centers for Disease Control:
cdc.gov/vaccines/index.html The Center for
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