More on the Measles Health Alert

John T. Manning, Director of SJC Health & Community Services shares this information…

The San Juan County Health Department urges all parents to ensure that they and their children are fully immunized against measles at this time. If you or your child, older than 12 months of age; has not received a dose of MMR vaccine, you should be vaccinated now. If you or your child are older than 12 months of age AND have received one dose of MMR vaccine AND it has been more than 28 days since that dose you should now receive a second dose of MMR vaccine.

Contact your health care provider or the San Juan County Health Department (SJCH) to schedule an appointment to get immunized. The Health Department will be conducting immunization clinics in Friday Harbor on Tuesday  April 8, and on Orcas Island on Wednesday, April 9. If you do not have a regular health care provider call the Health Department and make an appointment to get immunized now.

Currently there are four (4) cases of measles on San Juan Island. The Health Department is continuing two additional investigations to determine if there are other measles cases. The current cases are known to be limited to close contacts and family members.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory viral disease that spreads easily when the infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. You can catch measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been. The virus remains in the air up to two hours even after that person is gone. All persons who are exposed to the virus and have not been immunized against measles will most likely get the disease. Most adults born before 1957 have had measles and can be considered to be immune.

The symptoms of measles will be present 7-21 days after exposure. Symptoms are high fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes; and later, a rash of tiny red spots that starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body. Measles is especially dangerous for children under 12 months of age, pregnant women, and immunocompromised persons.

If you are unsure of your immunization status contact your health care provider or the San Juan County Department of Health & Community Services 378-6941.

http://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/5100/420-014-Fact-Measles.pdf

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