Are you protected against measles? Symptoms and treatment explained
Measles cases continue to trend upward across Chicagoland, but doctors say the highly contagious virus is easily preventable with a vaccine.
Most adults received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine during childhood. The two-dose regimen is 97% effective against measles, yet the virus is widely circulating, leaving doctors concerned.
Eight infections have been confirmed across the city in the last week, with seven of the cases confirmed in individuals staying at the city’s largest migrant shelter.
The challenge now is containment.
Dr. Tina Tan is an infectious disease specialist with Lurie Children’s Hospital.
“Many of these migrants don’t stay in the shelter all day long. They are out on the street … or they are riding the CTA buses and trains,” Tan said.
SEE ALSO: 4 things you should know about measles amid an uptick in cases
Migrants in Chicago received standard vaccines at Cook County Health’s new arrivals clinic, but there could be a lag in building protection.
“Usually, it takes around two weeks to get that high, but at least you are building immunity after you get the vaccine,” Tan said.
The highly contagious virus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can remain airborne for two hours. Up to 90 percent of those within close range of an infected individual are susceptible to the virus if they have not been vaccinated or they received just one of the two-dose regimens.
“I’ve seen more young adults who might have gotten their first dose of vaccine but didn’t get any vaccine after that,” Tan said.
The signs of infection are fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash of tiny, red spots that starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body.
“It’s gonna be more serious in the adult population,” Tan said. “They can get pneumonia, they can get some hearing loss, measles can cause deafness, you can get encephalopathy and meningitis from it, so it’s not a benign disease.”
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Unlike a tetanus shot, an MMR booster is not recommended for those fully vaccinated as a child.
“If you got two vaccine doses at appropriate times, you are protected,” Tan said.
According to US guidelines, children should be vaccinated at 12 months and again between four and six years old.
“This is an absolutely safe and very effective vaccine,” Tan said.
Still, a global outbreak may impact upcoming spring break travel.
“There are 20 states around the US that are having measles outbreaks and there are multiple countries around the world having outbreaks and with spring break coming up and especially with people going to Florida, where there is a measles outbreak that is occurring now, it’s going to be extraordinarily important that they are up to date on not just their other vaccines but on measles vaccine to prevent them from contracting the illness,” Tan said.
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The CDC recommends an MMR booster for college students but mostly to protect against mumps. Older adults born before the MMR vaccine likely had a measles infection, which would provide some immunity.
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