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Once considered eliminated, measles is again on the rise with already more cases this year than in 2018.
Several measles incidents in the Bay Area, including the recent case of a San Mateo resident at Google headquarters, are causing many people to wonder if they are at risk of contracting the infection. Here are some common questions about the highly infectious virus, the vaccine and the measures to take in case of exposure to measles, with the answers provided by the Centers for Disease Control. Health experts agree that the prevention of epidemics requires the vaccination of more and more people.
"Measles can cause serious illness or even death," says Dr. Jonathan Blum, head of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara. "Because measles is so contagious, we need to have a high level of immunity in the community to prevent the continued transmission of the virus. Unvaccinated people are like a "fertile ground" for the spread of the virus – if there is a sufficient number, the virus will continue to spread. "
Q: What are the symptoms?
A: Measles begins with a fever that can become very high. Other symptoms include coughing, runny nose, diarrhea and ear infection. Three to five days after the onset of symptoms, a red rash appears.
Q: How is measles spread?
A: Measles is spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It's very contagious. You can catch measles simply by being in a room where a person infected with the virus has been – until two hours after leaving. And you can catch measles from an infected person even before having a rash. Almost all people who have not received the MMR vaccine will have measles if they are exposed to the virus.
Q: I think I have been exposed to someone with measles. What should I do?
A: Call your doctor to determine if you are immunized against measles based on your vaccination record, age, or laboratory evidence. If you do not have your vaccination record, the doctor can make special arrangements to assess you, without endangering other patients and medical staff.
If you are not immune to measles, a MMR vaccine or a medicine called immunoglobulin may help reduce the risk of getting measles. If you do not get MMR or immunoglobulin, avoid places with sensitive people (such as school, hospital or daycare) until your doctor tells you that everything is fine. This will prevent you from spreading the virus to others.
Q: What is the effectiveness of measles vaccine?
A: The measles vaccine is very effective. A dose is about 93% effective in preventing measles if exposed to the virus; two doses are effective at about 97%.
Q: Can I still get measles if I am fully vaccinated?
A: Very few people – about three in every 100 – who receive two doses of the vaccine still get measles if they are exposed to the virus. Experts do not know why. Their immune system may not have responded as well as they should have. The good news: Fully vaccinated people with measles are much more likely to have a less serious illness. And fully vaccinated people are also less likely to spread the disease to other people, including those who can not be vaccinated because they are too young or their immune system weakened.
Q: I was vaccinated in my childhood. Do I need a booster shot?
A: No, those who received two doses of the vaccine as children, according to the US vaccination schedule, are considered to be protected for life. The CDC says that they should never need a booster dose.
Q: What if I'm an adult? Would I ever need a reminder?
A: It depends. The CDC considers that you are protected against measles if you have written information showing any of the following: You have received a dose of measles vaccine (and you will not be in a high risk environment); a laboratory has confirmed that you have measles at some point in your life; a laboratory has confirmed that you are immunized against measles; or if you were born before 1957.
People at high risk of measles transmission, such as health care workers and international travelers, should receive two doses spaced 28 days apart.
Q: Why have there been more cases of measles in the United States in recent years?
A: The CDC experts cite two reasons: First, more and more Americans are visiting countries – such as England, France, Germany, India, the Philippines, and Vietnam – where the number of measles cases has increased. Second, the virus is spreading in many American communities that have pockets of unvaccinated people.
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