These people caught measles. Who’s next?

Measles is a very infectious disease. It’s so infectious that just being around someone who has it can make you sick. And you can even get it from the air after they’ve gone.

The measles virus.
Image credit // CDC /
Goldsmith and Bellini

Take the case of two travelers who shared the same Chicago airport gate. One was a 19-month-old child who’d received a first dose of measles vaccine, but got sick with measles while traveling. Another was a 46-year-old adult on a different flight who was diagnosed with measles a few weeks later. Researchers say the adult caught it from the child.

While the child could have passed the illness along anywhere at the airport where the two travelers crossed, researchers think that it probably happened when the child’s family was waiting near the gate to board and the adult traveler exited the plane. Measles can stay in the air for up to two hours, even after an infected person leaves. Luckily, in this case, both patients recovered.

Fast-forward to this spring in Washington state. A very sick woman in Clallam County caught measles while visiting her doctor at a hospital that was treating a patient with measles earlier. The virus stayed in the air of the hospital just like it was in the air at the airport gate. After being around the virus in the hospital, her body was unable to fight it and she died. Her death was the first from measles in 12 years in the United States.

Traveling safe includes staying healthy.
Get vaccinated before you get on board!
Image credit // pexels.com

Both stories offer us a few reminders:
• To protect others, everyone who can be vaccinated should be. It only takes one sick person to make everyone else sick.
• International travelers ages 12 months and older should have two doses of measles vaccinations. The odds of getting sick go up if you haven’t gotten vaccinated or aren’t fully vaccinated.
• If you think you have measles, don’t go to the doctor’s office. Stay home and call your physician with your symptoms.

Protect yourself and protect others. Get vaccinated.

It’s National Infant Immunization Week: Protecting against disease starts when we’re young

The recent measles outbreak is a good reminder of the importance of vaccinations. More than 160 Americans have gotten sick this year from a preventable disease that can cause serious illness or even death — and most were not vaccinated.

While protecting ourselves from contagious disease is a lifelong practice, it starts when we’re young. That’s why people across the country are celebrating National Infant Immunization Week April 18-25.

The observance promotes immunizations for children ages 2 or younger. It also recognizes the important role of vaccines and the workers at state and local health departments and other health professionals who give vaccinations to help safeguard our communities from disease.

Their contributions are remarkable. In the United States, we protect children and infants under age 2 from 14 vaccine-preventable diseases through immunization, including chickenpox, mumps and polio. Vaccines have dramatically decreased infant death and disability caused by preventable diseases.

Vaccines not only help protect vaccinated individuals, but also help to protect entire communities. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that among children born during 1994-2013, vaccination will prevent an estimated 322 million illnesses, 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths during their lifetimes.

While we celebrate this week in the United States, people across the globe are recognizing World Immunization Week, organized by the World Health Organization. Despite many successes in improving health, one in five children globally still misses out on life-saving vaccines.

Vaccines are safe and effective, and have saved countless lives. They are one of the greatest public health accomplishments. But we need to make sure we have an adequate supply to reach everyone. And, most important, you have to get immunized for them to work.

Get Ready Mailbag: What do I need to know about the measles outbreak?

Welcome to another installment of the Get Ready Mailbag, when we take time to answer questions sent our way by readers like you. Check out these questions about the recent measles outbreak, which is linked to Disney theme parks in California.

I was planning to take my children to Disneyland this summer, but these measles cases have me worried. I don't want to endanger my kids. Should we stay home instead?
The American Academy of Pediatrics is urging parents to vaccinate their children to protect them against measles. However, if your children are too young to get vaccinated against the disease — the first round of vaccinations is recommended at 12 to 15 months of age — public health experts are recommending that you keep them away from people who are not vaccinated as well as places where there are large crowds, such as malls, theme parks and airports.

This has been on the news all the time where I live. Why is there so much talk about this measles outbreak?
Because it’s serious. Measles is not a disease to be taken lightly. Infected people can have severe complications, like pneumonia and encephalitis, which is a swelling of the brain. And some people even die from the measles. According to the World Health Organization, as recently as 1980, measles caused 2.6 million deaths each year. Measles is especially dangerous for infants or anyone with pre-existing health problems.

The good news is that the death rate from measles dropped by 75 percent from 2000 to 2013 as a result of worldwide vaccination programs. So we know that vaccinations work.

This outbreak also shows what happens when people are not protected. CDC is reporting that there are 102 cases of measles in 14 states as of January 30, 2015 most of which are related to the Disneyland outbreak.  The Disneyland outbreak has contributed to a record high number of U.S. measles cases since 2000, when the disease was eliminated from this country.

I know parents who don’t vaccinate their children, should I be concerned for my family to be around them?
Not vaccinating children against measles is a bad idea. Some places have high rates of people who aren’t vaccinated. This makes diseases spread faster and further, and puts unprotected children who live in those communities at greater risk. The best protection for your kids is to make sure they are vaccinated.

I’ve heard that some people who are vaccinated come down with measles anyway. So why should I bother?
True, there are reports of measles cases among people who may already been vaccinated. However, here are some points to remember:

• Most people who have been vaccinated for measles and still become infected were vaccinated a long time ago — 30 years or more, so their protection may be lower. During an active outbreak, people who were vaccinated long ago should consider getting a booster dose.
• No vaccination is a 100 percent sure thing. However, it is better to be protected.
• By getting your vaccination, you are helping to protect those around you —especially those who cannot be vaccinated for some reason — and reduce the measles virus from circulating.

How can I tell if someone is spreading the measles?

Unfortunately, people with measles are contagious before they start to show symptoms. So the best way to protect your health and your children is to stay up–to-date on vaccination schedules. And don’t forget to check out APHA’s Get Ready fact sheets for more information about vaccines.

Have a question you want answered? Send an email to getready@apha.org.

Bring home the magic from your theme park vacation, not the measles

CDC/ Cynthia S. Goldsmith;
William Bellini, Ph.D.

Disneyland is known as “the happiest place on earth” — except if you’ve got the measles. In December, the popular California theme park became the host of a measles outbreak.

On Jan. 7, the California Department of Public Health reported measles cases among seven people who visited Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park sometime between Dec. 15 and 20. According to news reports, there are now at least 26 cases of measles in four states that are linked to the outbreak and it may travel farther. At least one person infected in the outbreak traveled on a plane to visit family not knowing she was sick. Her travel could have exposed many more.

It’s a small, small world when it comes to disease transmission, and crowded places like theme parks are the perfect spots for spreading disease. Being surrounded by lots of people also means being surrounded by their germs. But Mickey’s not to blame. While the United States officially eliminated measles in 2000, unvaccinated travelers can bring measles with them from anywhere in the world, including the United States.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid theme parks, however. Getting vaccinated against preventable diseases is the best way you can keep yourself, your loved ones and your community healthy. Vaccines are available to protect us from measles and more than a dozen other serious diseases. Babies and young children — common theme park visitors — are especially susceptible to diseases. That’s why it’s so important to get children vaccinated at an early age.

As a parent or caregiver, make sure you learn about recommended child vaccination schedules and talk about them with your doctor or health care provider. Not vaccinating your children not only leaves them vulnerable to dangerous diseases, but threatens the health of fellow children who are either too young to be vaccinated, are unable to be vaccinated or have not been fully immunized. You want your child to take home souvenirs and happy memories home from vacation, not an infectious disease, right?

Help keep public places happy and safe for all. Check out Get Ready fact sheets for more general information about vaccines, and the importance of vaccines for kids, teens and adults.

Avoid the risk from measles: Get vaccinated

In 2000, measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. And yet measles cases in the country hit a 20-year high this summer. How can that be?

When health officials declared measles eliminated, it was because the disease was no longer considered native in the U.S. Thanks to vaccination, measles — which once caused 3 million to 4 million cases a year in the U.S. — isn’t continuously transmitted here anymore.

But the disease is still common in many countries around the world. Unvaccinated travelers can bring measles to the U.S. with them.

Globally, 20 million people get measles each year, and about 164,000 people die from the disease. Measles can also have lasting complications, including loss of hearing or lifelong brain damage.

Measles is caused by a virus and is very contagious. It can be spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. It’s so contagious, in fact, “that any child who is exposed to it and is not immune will probably get the disease,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you’re unvaccinated, you can get measles from an infected person. Unvaccinated children and pregnant women are especially at risk for contracting measles.

Some families choose not to vaccinate their children while some are not able to get vaccinated against measles because of allergies or other pre-existing health conditions. By vaccinating your child, you protect not just him or her but you help protect others in your community who are unable to be vaccinated by slowing or preventing the spread of the disease to others.

Luckily, measles is easily preventable. Talk to your health provider about measles vaccination for you and your family.

National Infant Immunization Week begins April 26

Infant getting immunization
Photo: CDC/Judy Schmidt

National Infant Immunization Week is set for April 26-May 3. The week is a time to celebrate the successes and benefits of immunization and to make sure all kids are fully vaccinated.
 
Unfortunately, infectious diseases that could be prevented by vaccination remain a threat in the U.S. Right now, New Jersey, Ohio and New York are struggling with mumps outbreaks, and California is tackling cases of measles.
 
Fully immunizing kids by age 2 is important, because children’s immune systems are at their weakest when they are young. When infants are vaccinated, it gives them a healthy start to life. It also helps prevent diseases from spreading, which is a big step in emergency preparedness for families and communities.
 
Each year, routine vaccinations can prevent up to 14 million cases of disease. They can also save 33,000 lives and billions of dollars.
 
If you have or are expecting a little one in your family, be sure to learn about the recommended vaccination schedules and talk about them with your health provider.
 
For more information from APHA’s Get Ready campaign on how vaccines help protect us from disease, download our fact sheets on child and teen vaccinations.

Are you heading to the Olympics this summer? Add one more thing to your packing list

Did you know that it’s National Public Health Week? There’s a different theme every day, and today’s theme is communicable diseases. We thought this would be a great time to talk to travelers headed to the upcoming Olympic Games in London about protecting yourself from infectious diseases.

What do sporting events and international travel have to do with infectious diseases? Plenty, say the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last month, CDC asked travelers to help prevent a major measles outbreak in the U.S. by making sure their vaccines are up to date before they travel to the Olympics or any other major sporting event this summer.

CDC is worried because measles is more widespread in Europe. Officials believe that if Americans who aren’t vaccinated travel to the huge gatherings this summer, they could easily become infected and then bring measles back to the U.S., creating an outbreak here. “Disease knows no borders,” said Rebecca Martin director of CDC’s Global Immunization Division, in a recent USA Today article.

Image courtesy CDC/Judy Schmidt

This isn’t the first time that big sporting events caused concern about spreading disease. In February, two people with measles went to the Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis before Super Bowl XLVI. Fourteen people came down with measles afterwards — and only one of them was up to date on their MMR vaccination, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

The MMR vaccine is very effective, and it’s the best way to prevent you and your loved ones from getting the measles. The vaccine works best when two doses are given about a month apart. If you are traveling to Europe this summer for big gatherings such as the Olympic Games or the Euro 2012 soccer championship — or even if you’re going just for sightseeing — now is the time to get your shots!

CDC has information about the measles and the MMR vaccine and also general information about vaccines for travelers.