While a confirmed case of measles is yet to turn up in Connecticut, the disease is spreading across the United States and New England with nearly 900 confirmed cases as of the latest count.
Those cases are spread across 30 jurisdictions, including New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The high national case count is “an anomaly,” according to Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. She is urging parents to vaccinate their children against the highly infectious disease.
In Connecticut, 97.7% of children entering kindergarten are vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
“However there are pockets throughout our state, and there are certain schools, that may have lower vaccination rates than others,” Juthani said. “This is the time to make sure your children are vaccinated and up-to-date on their vaccines.”
The MMR vaccine is given to children starting at 12 months of age and a second dose is given around 4-6 years of age, "though in many countries they vaccinate for measles even earlier," said Dr. Vasanth Kainkaryam, a primary care physician and pediatrician in South Windsor.
"Measles can cause severe complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation and death," Kainkaryam said in a statement. "The MMR vaccine is very effective, with even one dose effectiveness at 95%."
"It’s always important to have open conversations with doctors about the risk and complications of disease and to understand how the vaccines work and how they can help," Kainkaryam said.
Over 80% of the measles cases are in western Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas. A family traveling to those states, or internationally, should consider vaccinating their infant sooner, Juthani said.
“If you have a younger infant who would not have been eligible for the measles measles vaccine yet, which is usually between 12-and-15 months of age, if you have a six-to-11 month old, you can get an earlier shot if you are going to be traveling to an area with ongoing transmission or have international travel planned,” Juthani said.
Adults who got their MMR vaccine between 1963 and 1967 may have received a less effective dose, and Juthani urged these individuals to check with their doctor about getting a booster.
High vaccination rates had led to long-lasting immunity against measles over several decades, which Juthani said had allowed for cases to remain controlled in American communities.
“Going back to the ‘60s and ‘70s, we used to have over 500,000 cases a year, and in the United States, that number has plummeted, usually in the double digit range,” she said.
"We are trying to make sure that we continue to have no cases in Connecticut,” she said.
This story was originally published by Connecticut Public. It was shared as part of the New England News Collaborative.
