MILWAUKEE – The Centers for Disease Control declared measles “eliminated” from the United States in the year 2000. Still, outbreaks occur from time to time, and the most recent is again knocking on Wisconsin’s door.
Milwaukee last reported a confirmed measles case last fall. Michigan and Minnesota are among more than a dozen states reporting new cases of the disease this year. An outbreak tied to an elementary school in Florida is showing the highest concentration of cases lately.
“This will never go away,” Dr. Tim Richer told Wisconsin’s Morning News. “There will always be this ebb and flow of measles cases. Sometimes higher, sometimes lower, but it is always out there.”
Richer, a pediatrician with Tosa Pediatrics in Wauwatosa, explained the reasons measles continues to pop up in the U.S. “There’s always pockets of people who choose not to vaccinate. That’s always the biggest reason. There’s also international travel.” He added that a small percentage of people simply to not respond well to the vaccine, and may be more vulnerable if exposed to the disease.
Measles is included in the childhood MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine. The CDC recommends two doses, with children getting their first between 12-15 months. Richer says it’s why most families should be protected from this or any future outbreak. “If your kids are vaccinated and you’re in a community that values that academically and socially you have very little to worry about.”
Richer did take the opportunity to remind families that flu is on track to kill more than 100 children in the U.S. this year, and there’s still time to get kids the shot. “Absolutely time to get vaccinated,” Richer suggested, “…to not be one of those 100 plus kids who unfortunately have a bad outcome with flu.”
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