If you were vaccinated as a kid are you 100% protected?
- The answer to that question is when you were vaccinated We know that children born between 1970 and the early 90s likely only got one shot of the MMR and might not have long lasting immunity. You require 2 shots for sustained immunity for every 1000 people who get 2 shots 997 will be immune If you only had one as many as 50 in 1,000 are not immune.
How can you check to see if you are protected?
- There is a blood test for immunity to measles.
How does measles spread?
- Measles spreads by body fluid. That means saliva or nasal mucus so think coughing and sneezing. The measles virus can stay in the air up to TWO hours after someone sneezes indoors. So breathing contaminated air is a route of infection. As well measles can spread 4 says before the rash appears. And 4 days after the rash appears.
If most people are vaccinated against measles how does it still spread?
- Measles is not eradicated and therefor still circulates. If you are not immune you are at risk. We are still importing cases from places where measles is still endemic such as Asia and parts of Africa. We see measles in England, France, Germany and India as well as the Philippines and Vietnam Nam
How can you protect yourself?
- The best way to protect yourself is through vaccination
We've heard that measles isn't that bad and most people get better quickly - is that true?
- In 2013 a total of close to 145 thousand people died from measles worldwide. One in 3,000 cases results in death. As well measles can cause middle ear infections and pneumonia. 1 in 1,000 can get brain encephalitis. In pregnancy it can cause premature labour or low birth weight as well as miscarriage.
What are the symptoms of measles?
- Symptoms show 7-14 days after infected. High fever, cough, runny nose (coryza), red watery eyes (conjunctivitisý), rash & white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth. Three to five days after symptoms begin a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots. The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body. When the rash appears, a person's fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit. After a few days, the fever subsides and the rash fades.
Who is most at risk to have a severe case of measles?
- Those with immune compromise are most at risk of severe cases as well as children under the age of 5.
Why would people not be vaccinated?
- Firstly there is the autism myth that has hung around and the misbelief the vaccine causes autism - it does not. Some people worry about side effects of the vaccine. Most people so not experience side effects at all . Some cases may get a high fever and convulsions
