What Your Family Needs to Know About Measles Safety

Measles is now one of the most significant health care risks for young children in the U.S as cases continue to climb. The Centers for Disease Control now estimate that nearly 704 cases of measles have been confirmed in the U.S, which is the highest amount since the disease was virtually eradicated in 2000.

Dr. Andre Couture shared some important details and prevention information for our listeners and their families. Dr. Couture is the Medical Director and practicing physician of AFC Urgent Care in South Portland. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine and formerly practiced as an emergency room physician at St. Mary’s Medical Center.

The main reasons that measles came back into the public eye is because a lower amount of parents decided to vaccinate their children. Measles and MMR vaccines were at an all-time high in the year 2000 and stopped the spread of measles altogether. However, the spread of dangerous misinformation from anti-vaxxers has led to a recent surge in measles.

Many parents are simply not vaccinating their children with the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The CDC and the World Health Organization flagged the spread of anti-vaccination messaging on social media as the main threat for the spread of measles. Many anti-vaxxers believe that vaccinations can lead to autism, even though many autism and public health experts have continually disproved this link.

While multiple factors can contribute to a measles outbreak, it is important to understand who is most impacted by the disease: young children. Children between the ages of 0-5 have the highest chance of getting measles.

To protect your children, they must receive two doses of MMR vaccines, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Children can receive the MMR vaccines from their pediatrician, or an urgent care center.

In addition to ensuring your children are vaccinated, you should also take the following precautions:

• Avoiding public spaces, communities, and other areas that have reported an outbreak of measles. Follow updates from trusted news organizations and public health departments to learn where the disease has spread.
• Fact-check any social media updates about the disease. Don’t allow misinformation to keep you from making a potentially harmful choice for your child. Speak with public health experts, doctors, and medical organizations if you want facts about safe measles prevention.
• Take care of yourself. Adults who do not have evidence of immunity should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine.

Bottom line, the best way to prevent measles is to ensure you and your loved ones are properly vaccinated. Be sure to contact your primary care provider, your child’s pediatrician and/or a trusted medical professional, to review your vaccination history.