This summer, the U.S. is facing its worst measles outbreak in over 30 years, with more than 1,280 confirmed cases and several deaths\u2014all among unvaccinated individuals. The outbreak is spreading in states like Texas, New Mexico, and California, as summer travel brings more exposure in public places.<\/p>\n
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As your pediatrician, I want to ensure you have the most current, trustworthy information to protect your children.<\/p>\n
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Measles isn\u2019t just a rash\u2014it\u2019s a serious, highly contagious virus that can lead to:<\/p>\n
The virus spreads through coughing, sneezing, and even from surfaces where droplets linger for hours. If one person has measles, up to 90% of unvaccinated people nearby will also become infected. This can occur even if they enter a room where someone with measles had left two hours ago.<\/p>\n
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\u2705<\/span> Check vaccine records<\/strong> \u2705<\/span> Practice good hygiene<\/strong> \u2705<\/span> Monitor symptoms during travel<\/strong> <\/p>\n 1. What are the symptoms of measles?<\/strong><\/p>\n Symptoms usually appear 7\u201314 days after exposure:<\/p>\n Children are contagious four days before the rash appears and four days after.<\/p>\n 2. How effective is the MMR vaccine?<\/strong><\/p>\n Breakthrough infections after full vaccination are rare and typically much milder.<\/p>\n 3. Why are we seeing a measles outbreak now?<\/strong><\/p>\n Note that in recent years there has been a decline in vaccination rates due to misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. According to the CDC\u2019s National Immunization Survey, about 90.8% of U.S. children have received at least one MMR dose by age 2, and approximately 91.9% of adolescents (13\u201317 years) have had both doses. Kindergarten vaccination coverage (two doses) has fallen to around 92.7% nationwide\u2014below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity. A post-COVID study from Johns Hopkins shows a drop from ~93.9% pre-pandemic to ~91.3% post-pandemic in county-level MMR coverage. For kindergartners in Palm Beach County, the MMR vaccination rate was about 91%. Unfortunately there is a legal loophole in the state of Florida that allows unvaccinated children to attend public schools with a \u201creligious exemption.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Is there any truth to the MMR vaccine causing autism?<\/strong><\/p>\n No. \ud83e\udde0<\/span> Learn more about Vaccine Safety<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n 5. Can vitamin A help with measles?<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes\u2014for certain children.<\/p>\n 6. What should I do if my child is exposed to measles?<\/strong><\/p>\n Call our office immediately if:<\/p>\n Options may include:<\/p>\n 7. Is it safe to get the MMR vaccine during a measles outbreak?<\/strong><\/p>\n Absolutely. The MMR vaccine is safe and can be administered even if there is ongoing exposure. It\u2019s the best protection you can provide.<\/p>\n \ud83e\uddd2<\/span> Parent Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n \ud83d\udd17 CDC: Child & Adolescent Immunization Schedule<\/span><\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Our practice has seen a rise in measles concerns this summer, and we are here to guide you with evidence-based care. We have had zero measles cases in our practice \u2013 and we want to keep it that way. Vaccination is not just about protecting your child\u2014it\u2019s about protecting every vulnerable baby, pregnant person, and immune-compromised neighbor they may meet.<\/p>\n Call today to review your child\u2019s immunization status. We\u2019re happy to help.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This summer, the U.S. is facing its worst measles outbreak in over 30 years, with more than 1,280 confirmed cases<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":86,"featured_media":1448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/86"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/bergman-pediatrics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nCall our office if you\u2019re unsure whether your child is up to date.<\/p>\n
\nFrequent handwashing and avoiding crowded indoor spaces help reduce spread.<\/p>\n
\nWatch for signs of illness, especially after flights or public events.<\/p>\nFrequently Asked Questions About Measles<\/h2>\n
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\nDecades of research involving millions of children have found no link between MMR and autism. The original 1998 study suggesting this was retracted and discredited, and the lead author lost his medical license.<\/p>\n\n
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\n<\/span>\ud83d\udd17<\/span> Measles Outbreak Tracker \u2013 The Guardian<\/span><\/a>
\n<\/span>\ud83d\udd17<\/span> Contemporary Pediatrics: Measles Update<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\nA Final Word From Dr. Bergman<\/h2>\n