June 22, 2023 – The CDC urges people to get vaccinated against measles before summer travel. International travelers are especially in danger, the CDC said, noting that 88% of all cases within the U.S. to date this yr have been linked to international travel.
“According to current estimates, twice as many Americans are planning to travel abroad in 2023 as in 2022,” the Advice published on Wednesday. “Many countries and popular travel destinations such as London, England, have experienced measles outbreaks in recent years.”
Measles is so contagious that 9 out of 10 unvaccinated individuals who come into contact with someone who has measles will contract the viral disease, which may linger within the air or on surfaces for two hours after an infected person leaves an area. One dose of vaccine is 93% effective at stopping it, and two doses are 97% effective.
Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose and rash. However, in severe cases it might probably result in pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and death.
A 4-month outbreak The measles epidemic in Ohio resulted in February after 85 children were infected, 80 of whom were unvaccinated. The others were partially vaccinated or had no documented vaccinations. Thirty-six of the kids required hospitalization, and 61 of them were 2 years old or younger.
The advisable timing and variety of measles vaccine doses for international travelers differ in some cases from the rules for people traveling only domestically. The CDC said international travelers should seek the advice of their doctor several weeks upfront to debate vaccinations. For infants and young children traveling internationally, measles vaccinations are needed earlier and at more frequent intervals than in the standard childhood vaccination schedule, the CDC said.
“After international travel, you should monitor for signs and symptoms of measles for three weeks after you return to the United States,” the CDC instructed travelers within the warning. “If you or your child become ill with a rash and high fever, call your doctor. Tell him or her you traveled abroad and whether you or your child received MMR vaccination.”
Last yr there have been 121 cases of measles reported to the CDCThere have been 16 cases to date this yr. Two people from the identical household in California tested positive this week. NBC News reported.
“These cases remind us how important vaccinations are to protecting the public,” Rais Vohra, MD, health officer for Fresno County, CA, told the news agency. “We urge all parents to work with their pediatrician or contact the health department to keep their child's vaccinations up to date.”