New Merseyside measles numbers were released Friday and there are now 414 laboratory confirmed cases of measles, plus 173 probably cases. Measles are contagious - so to reiterate from yesterday:
Older pupils, students and adults should check their vaccination records to ensure that they really have had two MMRs, children older than 13 and younger than 41 months could get their second MMR early during an outbreak to reduce the risk.
Consider getting your infant (between 6 and 12 months) vaccinated, if s/he is at "higher risk" (daycare) and there is an outbreak in the area - almost a quarter of cases in this outbreak were in the under one-year-olds, who are at particularly high risk of complications.
Anyone who intends to work/volunteer in the medical sector should have had two MMRs. In this, as in nearly every recent outbreak, transmissions within the medical setting and to medical personnel occurred.
Doctors and nurses need to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of measles, so that they can diagnose them early and limit transmission in the medical setting.
And finally, all parents need to think long and hard before taking their child into A&E or their GP's practice whether their child could be contagious, especially if the child has not had their MMRs and could be carrying a potentially fatal disease. Call ahead, get an "out of hours" appointment or home visit, if at all possible.
Edited to exchange first link to go to original source
Older pupils, students and adults should check their vaccination records to ensure that they really have had two MMRs, children older than 13 and younger than 41 months could get their second MMR early during an outbreak to reduce the risk.
Consider getting your infant (between 6 and 12 months) vaccinated, if s/he is at "higher risk" (daycare) and there is an outbreak in the area - almost a quarter of cases in this outbreak were in the under one-year-olds, who are at particularly high risk of complications.
Anyone who intends to work/volunteer in the medical sector should have had two MMRs. In this, as in nearly every recent outbreak, transmissions within the medical setting and to medical personnel occurred.
Doctors and nurses need to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of measles, so that they can diagnose them early and limit transmission in the medical setting.
And finally, all parents need to think long and hard before taking their child into A&E or their GP's practice whether their child could be contagious, especially if the child has not had their MMRs and could be carrying a potentially fatal disease. Call ahead, get an "out of hours" appointment or home visit, if at all possible.
Edited to exchange first link to go to original source
I'm not based in Merseyside nor at risk because of work etc but have often wondered if I should have the MMR? My mum did not vaccinate because she believed in the Wakefield autism crap, which I don't.
ReplyDeleteI had the rubella vaccine after the birth of my daughter but neither for measles/mumps. I am nursing my 2nd child in case that's relevant.
Any thoughts?
I would go and get the MMR with your younger child, pediatricians are often quite happy to do the parents as well.
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