There’s been a rash of measles outbreaks across the country, and Louisiana Department of Health Immunization Director Frank Welch says it’s a great reminder to make sure you and your children are vaccinated against the virus. Welch says before mass vaccinations, measles was a serious threat to young children, and could leave them permanently disabled or worse…
“Almost 600,000 people in the United States got measles every year, and it kills about one in a thousand, but unfortunately it kills about one in every 500 children.”
The vaccine was created in 1963, and the number of new cases has dwindled to just thousands.
Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, but there’s been an uptick in the number of cases in recent years. Most new cases are directly linked to travelers returning from unvaccinated countries, and Welch says almost all of those infected share one thing in common…
“The Washington outbreak, the Hawaii outbreak, and there is also an outbreak happening in New York State, New York City, and the vast majority of those people were never vaccinated.”
Welch says the vaccination is highly effective, and recommends children get two, the first when they turn one, and the second when they turn four.
The doctor says the disease is spread through coughing and physical contact with infected surfaces, and that it can at first feel like a run-of-the-mill sickness.
“It is typical cough and cold symptoms, runny eyes and sore throat, just not feeling great.”
Once an infected person coughs, the virus can linger in the air in that area for up to two hours.
