[ad_1]
The measles outbreak hit people in 22 states, including California, where students from two Los Angeles colleges are dealing with quarantine procedures.
Doctors now say that if you were born between 1957 and 1989, the immunization you have undergone may not guarantee that you are protected against measles.
Scripps pediatrician Dr. Daniel Lichtmann told NBC7 that most people aged 62 and older are immunized because they have already contracted measles. In 1957, American doctors began vaccinating their children with a single measles vaccine. It was not until 1989 that doctors realized that having two shots of the vaccine provided more powerful immunity.
"The first dose is about 93% effective in preventing the disease," said Lichtmann, adding that the second dose boosted your immunity to 97%.
The problem is that most adults do not have their vaccination cards. For them, Lichtmann recommends that they do a blood test to check their immunity or simply get vaccinated again.
Lichtmann said that protecting oneself from measles far outweighed the rare side effects.
Lichtmann also recommended that people with international travel plans be sure of their immunity.
Most of the measles outbreaks in the United States have been attributed to people who contracted the disease while traveling abroad.
Most people survive measles, which begins with a high fever and then a red, bumpy rash, but in rare cases the disease can cause encephalitis, brain inflammation, and even death.
If you think you have measles, doctors say stay home and call them. Do not risk infecting others by going to your doctor's office or hospital.
For more information on the vaccine, visit the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[ad_2]
Source link