Breaking News: Measles has surged in some parts of the US. Some people might need a booster. - News Paper

The disease is spreading mostly among unvaccinated children, though adults may also be at risk.

Measles cases in the US have surged to a 25-year high — and the vast majority involve children who weren’t fully immunized.

As of April 26, at least 704 people have been sickened by the virus in 2019, the highest number since 1994, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than a third of the cases involve kids under the age of 5, and nearly 70 children have been hospitalized because of complications related to the virus.

For decades, public health experts have been asking people to vaccinate their kids against measles, a highly contagious childhood illness that can, in rare cases, cause brain swelling, hearing loss, and even death.

For one thing, the vaccine is highly effective, so getting immunized is a really effective way to prevent infections.

Even more importantly, the more people who get vaccinated, the more we increase “herd immunity,” or the chances of protecting even those in a community who can’t or shouldn’t be vaccinated (like newborn babies or people with allergies to vaccine ingredients).

But despite that, the number of unvaccinated people in certain pockets of the country has been creeping up, threatening herd immunity. And now measles is suddenly a significant public health problem again.

“Vaccine-preventable diseases belong in the history books, not in our emergency rooms,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in a press briefing Monday. “We are reminding all Americans to talk to their doctors and ensure they are up to date with CDC’s recommended vaccination schedule.” Here’s why — and what people can do to prevent more cases.

Measles was eliminated in the US — but unvaccinated travelers have brought it back to places where it has spread

Before a vaccine was introduced in the US in 1963, there were 4 million measles cases with 48,000 hospitalizations and 500 deaths in the US every year. That means for anyone born before 1960, there’s a good chance they suffered through a measles infection.

The beauty of the vaccine is that most people who get the recommended two doses will never get sick with measles, even if they’re exposed. And by 2000, because of widespread vaccination, the virus was declared eliminated in the US: Enough people were immunized that outbreaks were uncommon, and deaths from measles were scarce.

But that’s now changing. Globally there’s been a 300 percent rise in measles cases this year compared to the same period in 2018, according to the World Health Organization. Ukraine, Madagascar, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Yemen, and Brazil are among the countries most affected, according to WHO.

The US is also seeing a record number of measles cases: more than 700 as of Friday — which is the highest number since 1994, years before the disease was officially eliminated. Most of the new cases are happening in New York and California. (The CDC’s website has a detailed overview of cases and US outbreaks.)

So what’s driving the uptick? Most of the measles cases (some 70 percent) are happening in unvaccinated people. And every case is linked to international travel: Americans or travelers who picked up the virus where measles is spreading more broadly and then bring it back to the US. (The top three countries where measles cases in the US originated were Ukraine, Israel, and the Philippines.)

Get your vaccines

So the CDC is now recommending that everyone — children and adults — makes sure they’re up to date with their vaccines. The top priority, though, is people who are at higher risk of the disease: those who are traveling internationally, live in communities with ongoing or recent outbreaks, or work in health care settings.

Measles is prevented through the combination MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) shot. The CDC normally recommends that children get two doses: the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second at 4 through 6 years of age.

But because of the recent outbreaks here, and the surge in cases globally, health officials are suggesting babies as young as 6 months get a first dose before they travel. For children 12 months or older, CDC recommends 2 doses separated by 28 days.

Adults who have not had measles (and therefore developed natural immunity) or who never got their shots should also ask their doctor about getting two doses separated by 28 days. If you aren’t sure of your vaccine status, you can also ask your doctor about a booster or request a blood test to check on your immunity.

“We have come a long way in fighting infectious diseases in America,” Azar said, “but we risk backsliding and seeing our families, neighbors, and communities needlessly suffer from preventable diseases.”

President Trump, who has previously spoken out against vaccines, came to their defense last week. “They have to get the shots. The vaccinations are so important,” Trump told reporters. “This is really going around now.”

from Vox - All http://bit.ly/2Ld7DE9
Breaking News: Measles has surged in some parts of the US. Some people might need a booster. - News Paper