Measles Cases Rising Throughout The US
A measles outbreak in Texas is continuing to spread as vaccination rates in children continue to decline throughout the entire US, leaving many vulnerable communities at risk for further outbreaks.
Infectious disease experts are also now saying that some adults should get revaccinated, as the virus spreads rapidly and is one of the world’s most contagious diseases.
Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Paul Offit, said that just last week, West Texas reported 14 new cases of measles, and this week that number’s up to 90.
“It’s very hard to control the measles.”
“The best defense against measles is vaccination. The vast majority of people getting sick in Texas are unvaccinated. And the measles vaccine is both safe and highly effective,” says Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, according to NPR.
“If you have been vaccinated with two doses of vaccine as per routine, you have a 95-plus percent chance of being completely protected throughout your life,” Schaffner stated.
Public health experts say that some adults should also consider revaccination, specifically older adults born after 1857 and those who were vaccinated before 1968. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that anyone who was vaccinated before 1968 should get at least one dose.
Schaffner says “if you’re not sure of your immunity or vaccination status, there’s no harm in getting a shot.”
“If you were vaccinated between 1968 and 1989, you likely received just one dose of the measles vaccine, instead of the two doses that are standard today. One dose alone is highly effective and for most people, it provides more than enough protection,” says Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in New York City.
“If you’re traveling somewhere where there’s an active outbreak and you’re not sure that you got two doses, it may not be crazy to get a second dose,” Ratner says.
One in 20 kids with measles will get pneumonia, and one out of 1,000 will develop brain swelling. The CDC stated that kindergarten vaccination rates have fallen below the 95% threshold which is needed to prevent large community outbreaks.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
