Get Your Shots!

Sad that we have to talk about this, but here we go...

​GET VACCINATED!

By Annalise Knudson | aknudson@siadvance.com
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As the measles outbreak continues to surge in the United States and New York, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging young children and adults to make sure they are vaccinated.
The high number of cases this year is primarily the result of a few large outbreaks, including two in New York that began in late 2018, according to the CDC.
The outbreaks in New York City and New York state are among the largest and longest-lasting since measles was eliminated from the United States in 2000, the CDC said.
Symptoms of measles begin with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat, followed by a rash that spreads over the body, according to the agency. It is highly contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing.
Here’s what you need to know about measles and the measles vaccination, according to the CDC.
WHO IS PROTECTED
The CDC considers you protected from measles if you have written documents showing at least one of the following:

• You received two doses of measles-containing vaccine, and you are a(n) school-age child (grades K-12), or an adult who will be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles transmission, including students at post-high school education institutions, healthcare personnel and international travelers.
• You received one dose of measles-containing vaccine, and you are a(n) preschool-aged child or an adult who will not be in a high-risk setting for measles transmission.
• A laboratory confirmed that you had measles at some point in your life.
• A laboratory confirmed that you are immune to measles.
• You were born before 1957.

DO I NEED A BOOSTER VACINE?
The CDC said people do not need a booster vaccine for measles.
The agency said people who received two doses of the vaccine as children, according to the U.S. vaccination schedule, are protected for life. They do not ever need a booster dose.
If you were born after 1957, you need at least one dose of the measles vaccine, unless a laboratory confirmed that you had a past measles infection or are immune to measles, the CDC said. Some adults may need two doses.
Adults who will be in a setting with a high risk of getting measles should make sure they have had two doses separated by at least 28 days.
These adults include:

• Students at post-high school education institutions
• Healthcare personnel
• International travelers
• People who public health authorities determine are at increased risk for getting measles during a measles outbreak

WHAT IF I AM UNSURE?
If you’re unsure, try to find your vaccination records of documentation of measles immunity, the CDC said. If you don’t have written documentation, you should get vaccinated with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
You can also have a doctor test your blood to determine if you’re immune. According to the CDC, there’s no harm in getting another dose of the MMR vaccine if you may be immune to measles.
CAN I STILL GET MEASLES IF I’M VACCINATED?
According to the CDC, very few people -- about three out of 100 -- who get two doses of the vaccine will still get measles if they are exposed to the virus.
While experts aren’t sure why, fully vaccinated people who get measles are more likely to have a milder illness and are less likely to spread the disease to other people.
WHO SHOULD AVOID THE MMR VACCINE?
According to the CDC, people with severe, life-threatening allergies and pregnant women should not get the vaccine.
People with weakened immune systems, and people with a parent, brother or sister with a history of immune system problems, shouldn’t get the shot.
This also applies to those with tuberculosis and people who have a condition that makes them bruise or bleed easily.