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Times could change.
Measles vaccinations in Clark County soared last month from last January, according to statistics provided by The Vancouver Clinic, Kaiser Permanente and Sea Mar.
These statistics are consistent with the statements and information presented by the Secretary of State for Health, Dr. John Wiesman, at a press conference held this Friday on the measles outbreak, which has already registered 53 confirmed cases in Clark County and 58 total in Washington and Oregon.
"Since the outbreak, we are seeing people taking the vaccine," said Wiesman.
This press conference was held after the House Committee hearing on Health and Welfare on Bill 1638, sponsored by Representative Paul Harris, Republican of Vancouver, and Representative Monica Stonier, Democrat from Vancouver. HB 1638 would eliminate the personal and philosophical exemptions for measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for public and private schools and licensed child care facilities.
According to Wiesman, about 200 people a week usually benefit from the MMR vaccine at this time of year in Clark County. But from January 13, this number rose to 644 people, then to 1,073 the following week and 1,002 the following week.
"When people see that there is a problem here and they feel threatened, they are ready to be vaccinated," he said.
The Vancouver Clinic, Sea Mar and Kaiser Permanente reported the same trend. Kaiser Clinics in Clark County, Kelso County and Longview County administered 219 MMR vaccines in January 2018, but this number increased 417% in January to 1,134 injections.
For Sea Mar clinics in Salmon Creek, Delaware Lane and Battle Ground in Vancouver, 87 measles vaccines were administered in January 2018 and 250 during the same period this year.
The Vancouver Clinic reported having administered 263 MMR vaccines in January 2018. This number has increased by almost 450%, reaching 1,444 injections this year. In 2018, 22 of these shots were administered to people over 18, while 241 were administered to people under 18; In January, 438 shots were given to people over 18 and 1,006 to people under 18 years of age.
"Sometimes when people see the news or worry about the safety of their children, they take action," said Alfred Seekamp, chief medical officer at the Vancouver Clinic. "I think it's sad that something like that needs to be done to get vaccinated."
Seekamp would not comment directly on Washington's legislation aimed at eliminating personal exemptions for vaccines, but he said the idea was "reasonable from a public health point of view".
He said immunization is important because it helps protect vulnerable populations from disease. Although measles killed about 500 people a year before the vaccine was created and resulted in complications for thousands of others a year, the death rate is now very low. But measles can be fatal for infants and people whose immune systems are vulnerable and who can not get the MMR vaccine.
Seekamp explained that some people who were just looking for the MMR vaccine had already hesitated to be vaccinated, sometimes because of the misinformation they had about the vaccine. Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County Public Health Director, said misinformation about vaccines in social media can be very sophisticated and credible.
"They have reconsidered their decision based on what is happening in our community," said Seekamp.
Seekamp also stated that some people did not give priority to vaccination or did not seek one dose, but forgot about the other – the MMR vaccine is 93% effective with one dose and 97% with two doses.
The Vancouver Clinic is sending ORR reminders to patients who have not been vaccinated for measles at all or who have received only one dose, said Seekamp.
Melnick said he was aware of the recent increase in the number of measles vaccinations, but that was rather normal during an outbreak. While Melnick congratulated the people who got vaccinated, he mentioned that vaccination should always be a priority, not just during epidemics.
"The problem I have with him is how long it will last," Melnick said. "What worries me is that after all is over and people are vaccinated, complacency will return to its place. I would like to see this become permanent. "
Places of exhibition
No new exhibition venue was identified on Friday, according to a public health press release.
The Feb. 4 exhibition at the Vancouver Clinic, Salmon Creek, was removed from the list of possible exposure sites. Public Health discovered that the clinic had been prevented before the potential measles patient arrived and that it was following the appropriate preventive protocol to ensure that other patients were not exposed to the patient.
For a complete list of exhibition sites, visit www.columbian.com/news/2019/jan/29/measles-exposure-sites.
Of the 53 confirmed cases, 46 had not been immunized against the highly contagious virus. Immunization status could not be verified in six cases and one case involved a child who had received only one dose of MMR vaccine. Two of these cases were transferred to Georgia.
Confirmed cases in Clark County include 38 children aged 1 to 10 years; 13 young people aged 11 to 18; an adult between 19 and 29 years old; and an adult aged 30 to 39 years old. There is also a confirmed case in King County and four in Multnomah County, in Oregon.
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