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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that more cases of measles had been reported this year than in the last 25 years. (April 29)
AP, AP
What is the latest news about the epidemic in the United States and in our region?
So far this year, 704 measles cases have been confirmed in 22 states, the highest number in 25 years, the Federal Center for Disease Control announced today. This includes 202 cases in Rockland County, New York, 423 in New York and 14 in New Jersey. An outbreak in the state of Washington, where 72 people have been sick, is over.
The vast majority of cases have been reported in unvaccinated persons and children under 18 years of age. Nine percent of those who contracted measles this year were hospitalized, said CDC director Robert Redfield, and three percent contracted pneumonia. No deaths have been reported.
Forty-four of the cases were "imported" by people who contracted the virus in another country spreading measles, such as Israel, Ukraine or the Philippines. More than 90% of these travelers were not vaccinated or did not know their vaccination status.
042919-measles epidemic (Photo: USA TODAY & # 39; HUI)
Can you get measles if you are vaccinated?
Of the 704 cases reported this year, some are fully or partially vaccinated, said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. "In a context of extreme pressure exerted by the disease, we know that there may be a failure of the vaccine," she said.
According to the CDC, two doses of measles vaccine are effective at about 97% and a dose at about 93%.
Adults in high-risk settings, such as those traveling abroad, working in health care or living in communities with ongoing epidemics, should check their immunization status or consult a health professional, said Messonnier.
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Should I be vaccinated against measles?
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Most adults – including people who have received a single dose or who were born before the measles vaccine is recommended – are protected, said Messonnier.
The CDC's efforts are focused on those most at risk: international travelers, health care workers, university students and people living in communities where epidemics are ongoing, she said. These adults should have had two injections, separated by at least 28 days.
"Other adults should be reassured that the data is very strong, strongly convincing, that they are protected against measles," she said.
If you do not know if you have been vaccinated, consult your doctor. A blood test to check for measles antibodies can be done. If you are already immunized against measles, mumps and rubella, there is no harm in receiving another dose of the vaccine.
How long does the measles vaccine last?
"We still see no signs of a decline in immunity," said Messonier, adding that the agency was monitoring the vaccine's sustainability, as well as its safety and effectiveness. If you have had two shots of measles, you are protected all your life.
Who should be vaccinated?
Infants should receive their first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine between the ages of 6 and 11 months of age when they travel abroad, said Redfield, director CDC. Children who do not travel should receive two doses, starting at 12 months and separated by at least 28 days. The second dose is usually given between 4 and 6 years of age and the CDC does not recommend doing so sooner.
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Adolescents and adults who have not had measles should receive two doses spaced at least 28 days apart.
People traveling abroad must complete the vaccination schedule at least two weeks before departure. But if the start is sooner, they should still receive at least one dose of the vaccine, said Redfield.
When will the epidemic be over?
It will get worse before it improves. According to Messonnier, the number of cases increases fastest in New York and California, and once the disease has settled in an under-vaccinated community, it is difficult to eradicate it.
"What's needed is that everyone works together to identify unvaccinated people at risk and vaccinate them," she said. It is also important that public health officials and rabbinical organizations ensure that scientifically accurate information about vaccines is disseminated so that people make the right decisions, she said.
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