Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) are urging Arkansans to take advantage of safe and proven vaccines to prevent a possible outbreak of measles in the Natural State.
The diagnosis of even a single case of measles is a threat to public health because measles is highly contagious. One infected person can easily infect 12-18 others and can remain contagious for four days before symptoms develop. An infected person can also remain contagious for four days after they are symptom-free. Measles is spread through coughing and sneezing. It starts with high fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat and progresses to a rash that spreads over the body. Children are most vulnerable, but adults also are at risk.
There is no anti-viral treatment for measles. Measles is a serious illness:
·Thirty of every 100 people with measles will develop complications that may require intervention or even hospitalization, including ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, brain damage, or disability.
·About 25 of every 100 measles patients end up in a hospital.
·One person in every 1,000 people with measles experiences brain swelling.
·Measles can be deadly and one to two people in every 1,000 with measles will die.
Measles was eradicated in the United States in 2000, but the disease has been coming back in recent years, partly due to low vaccination rates in some communities. In 2018, 26 states, including Arkansas, and the District of Columbia reported a total of 349 measles cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Already in 2019, 10 states have reported cases of measles. Washington State has a current outbreak of more than 60 cases that has resulted in its governor declaring of a state of emergency. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, Oregon, and Texas also had outbreaks this year. No measles cases have been confirmed in Arkansas so far in 2019.
The current U.S. resurgence of measles appears to be the result of two trends coming together. Both of these trends have been factors in the Washington state outbreak:
·Exposure of international travelers to ongoing outbreaks of measles in other countries. These travelers sometimes become infected abroad but become ill with measles after entering the United States.
·Low childhood vaccination rates in communities in certain parts of the United States.
“The MMR vaccine is very safe,” Meeks added. “In fact, the risk posed by not being immunized is much higher. The most common side effects of the vaccine are fever and mild rash.”
The MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, is covered under most health plans and is readily available at medical clinics, pharmacies, and ADH local health units. Children without insurance can get the vaccine at no cost at any ADH local health unit and many medical clinics throughout the state.