Measles Vaccination Recommendation from Agudath Israel and Cuyahoga County Board of Health

Measles Information From the Cuyahoga County Board of Health

Background
Measles can spread easily. The disease can be transmitted up to two hours after an infected person has left a room. In addition, people who are not vaccinated against the disease have a 95% chance of becoming infected with measles. If someone exposed to measles gets the vaccine within 72 hours after exposure, it can help the person stay healthy.
The best protection against measles is routine vaccination at the recommended age of 12 months old followed by a booster dose at four years old. An individual has 93% protection against measles after one dose of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, & Rubella) vaccine and 97% after the second dose. In addition, travelers flying outside of the United States with a child younger than 12 months should consult the child’s doctor about additional steps to protect their child.
As of early April, there have been 387 cases of measles confirmed in 15 states. The states that have reported cases are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgie, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. In 2014, a large outbreak of 383 cases of measles occurred primarily among the unvaccinated Amish communities in Ohio.

Measles can be dangerous. Complications in children include:
– 1 in 20 will develop pneumonia
– 1 in 1,000 develop encephalitis (brain swelling)
– 1 in 1,000 are fatal

Signs, Symptoms, and Vaccination Guidance

Signs and symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, red/watery eyes, and tiny white spots on the inner cheeks. A red rash develops several days after the onsite of other symptoms.

Many adults likely only received one dose of MMR as a child. Adults should consider a booster dose if they are a college student living in close quarters, work in a healthcare setting, are an international traveler, or a member of a group identified as at-risk during a local outbreak.
If your vaccine status is unclear, adults should consider a single dose of MMR vaccine. However, individuals born before 1957 are presumed to have natural immunity due to the lack of mass vaccination before this time and are not recommended to receive MMR vaccination. Vaccines can be received at a pediatrician’s office, select pharmacies, and some primary care providers. Many local health departments also have the vaccine and may have programs to assist the uninsured.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) has a main clinic in Parma that is open most weekdays as well as a convenient satellite clinic in Warrensville Heights that operates on select Fridays. For details, please call CCBH at 216-201-2041.

It is advisable to contact the clinic at:
South Pointe Hospital
20050 Harvard Ave Suite 102
Warrensville Heights Ohio 44122
Upcoming clinics are scheduled for April 12th and 26th. 
The clinic has also expanded to include April 19th to accommodate anyone needing MMR boosters.