WATERTOWN, NY
The Jefferson County Public Health Service (JCPHS) has reported a confirmed measles case involving an unvaccinated individual in Jefferson County. The New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth laboratory conducted the testing. Those who had close contact with the affected person have been identified and informed about potential exposure.
According to the health officials, vaccinated members of the community are at very low risk. “It’s never too late to get vaccinated. You can really help protect your child’s health by ensuring they receive the measles vaccination and are safeguarded against its complications,” noted Faith Lustik, Director of Preventive Service.
JCPHS provides the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, and it is accessible even to those without health insurance through their Vaccines for Adults (VFA) and Vaccines for Children (VFC) programs.
For additional details, you can check out their website or call 315-786-3700.
The MMR vaccine is quite effective at preventing measles. Unvaccinated individuals, particularly infants under 12 months who cannot be vaccinated and those with compromised immune systems, are at the greatest risk. It is also advised that infants aged 6-11 months receive an early dose of the vaccine if they are traveling internationally or are in an outbreak setting.
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing. It can linger in the air for up to two hours. The symptoms usually show up within 7 to 14 days after exposure, which can go up to 21 days. They include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash that typically starts at the hairline and spreads downward. This rash is often accompanied by a high fever, reaching 104 °F or more. Possible complications from measles involve pneumonia, encephalitis, miscarriage, or preterm birth, as well as immune amnesia.
If you or your child exhibit symptoms of measles, please reach out to your healthcare provider first before seeking direct medical attention to notify them ahead of time. This helps minimize the risk of further spreading the disease.
You can view the measles case counts by county on the New York State Department of Health’s Measles Dashboard, which is updated weekly on Tuesdays with data from the previous Saturday.
