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Health officials urge people to get vaccinated against measles to protect themselves against this highly contagious disease. As a result of the current outbreak, the recommended age for vaccination has been lowered to at least 6 months. ( pixabay )
We are not even halfway to 2019 and the number of measles cases in the United States has already reached its highest level in 25 years.
The highly contagious disease was eliminated in the country in 2000, but it is making a strong comeback, particularly hard hit communities very united who have a low vaccination rate.
The CDC said that as of Friday, April 26, 2019, a total of 704 cases of measles were reported in the United States. This is the largest number of cases in the country in a single year since 1994, when 963 cases of measles occurred.
The solution, say the officials, is the same it has never been: the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
Early measles immunization
Normally, the MMR vaccine is administered in two doses, the first between 12 and 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years.
Now, with the measles epidemic taking off around the world, the CDC is suggesting that parents vaccinate their 6- to 11-month-olds with a dose of MMR vaccine. For infants who have received an MMR vaccine before their first birthday, the CDC recommends two additional doses: one at the age of 12 to 15 months and another at least 28 days later.
In places such as New York or countries affected by the epidemic, where infants are exposed to the virus, early vaccination is a precaution that may be worth taking.
Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told The Verge that the administration of the MMR vaccine to babies is perfectly safe. He added that it was not the norm, because the vaccine might not be as effective in babies under one year of age as for everyone else.
"However, some babies could still benefit from early vaccination during a real measles outbreak," he explained in an email to The Verge..
Measles is a global problem
According to the World Health Organization, the number of measles cases reported in the first three months of 2019 is 300% higher compared to the same period in 2018.
Countries with epidemics include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sudan, Thailand and Ukraine. Even in countries where immunization coverage is high, the numbers are increasing. Apart from the United States, measles is attacking Israel, Thailand and Tunisia.
With the disease on the rise worldwide, even adults who have been given a dose of MMR vaccine are at risk, especially if they travel regularly or plan to travel abroad. Experts say adults who have received only one dose of the vaccine may need the second to be adequately immunized.
Ⓒ 2018 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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