Measles - Get vaccinated now
- by Cassandra Hanson
- in Health Care
- — Feb 2, 2019
M - Measles has been confirmed in more than 1,600 citizens of Kazakhstan, while at the beginning of this week the number of measles cases made around 900, Astana television channel reports.
Those who may have been exposed should watch for early symptoms of high fever, malaise and red eyes, followed by a rash that starts on the head and moves down the body. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, measles is spread through the air and can linger for up to two hours after the infected person has left the area. People are contagious long before they show symptoms and nearly everyone who is not immune through vaccinations will get measles if they are exposed to the virus.
So far, none of the patients whose immunization status has been confirmed got their measles vaccination. When enough people around them are immunized, they can live within a kind of protective tribe of disease-free people, and are thus relatively "immune" to illnesses like measles. And say they're seeing about five new cases each day. "There is no magic bullet cure to fight it".
"Unfortunately, many parents refuse to vaccinate their children". The department also has a calendar of clinic dates and times.
The more you know about measles...
In short, a harsh measles outbreak hit the United States this year, and the main reason why the virus spread so fast across the young populations is the anti-vaxxer movement which considers vaccines as harmful for children.
If you suspect you have the measles or have been exposed to the virus, the CDC advises people to call their doctor immediately. "And a few days after that, you get that famous rash", explained Alok Patel, MD, a pediatrician at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
The best protection against measles is the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella viruses.
Foreign travel or exposure to foreign travelers increases the risk for measles. Public health officials urge all individuals to re-visit their immunization records by logging into MyIR or by contacting their healthcare provider.
