Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (FOX 8 photo)
A telltale rash is the hallmark of the disease. Symptoms include fever, cough and runny nose. It’s a very contagious disease that spreads through the air whenever someone who is infected coughs or sneezes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, from January 1 to 31, 79 individual cases of measles were been confirmed in 10 states. The states which reported cases are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Doctors say vaccinations shouldn’t scare you but, the return of measles should.
“We give out vaccines every day here and they are safe,” Dr. Stephen Baum from Kaplan Barron Pediatric Group said.
Measles can be a serious disease. It can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis and death. A study in 1998 suggested that the MMR vaccine could cause autism. It was later discredited and retracted in 2010. But, that article caused a lot of fears. Fears Dr Baum is still trying to calm.
“It”s not the vaccines causing autism,” Dr. Baum said. “there is a genetic predisposition and some environmental trigger and we don’t know what that environmental trigger is.”
Health officials also say when it comes to vaccines, not to believe everything you might see on the internet.
“Some actually almost looks scientific and the misinformation about the disease and the vaccine are leading some folks not to vaccinate themselves or their children, Dr. Alan Melnick, Health Officer, Clark County, Washington said.
When it comes to combating preventative diseases, the CDC says there are no alternatives to vaccination and the risks of a bad reaction are almost non-existent.
“Vaccines that are recommended in the United States are extensively studied,’ Dr. Nancy Messonnier, Director, CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases said. “That’s why I can say that we have the safest immunization schedule that we’ve ever had and that it’s the safest immunization schedule in the world.”
The virus can survive for up to two hours in a room where an infected person sneezed.
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