Measles Risk Alert: Vaccination and Travel Safety
Julie Holt
3/15/20243 min read
The invention of vaccines is considered one of the most important advances in modern medicine, greatly reducing morbidity and mortality from several diseases, including measles, diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. Despite a vaccine being available since 1963, measles has unfortunately made an unexpected comeback, sparking both concern and reflection around the balance of public safety and individual choice.
Recent Measles Outbreaks
This year, measles has been observed in 17 states across the US and three provinces in Canada. Currently, there are seven active measles cases reported in Canada and 45 in the US, marking one of the most alarming spikes in recent memory. For context, 58 cases of measles were reported in the US for the entire year of 2023. Are these numbers making you ask yourself - are you up to date on your vaccines? Hopefully, these figures give you pause.
Causes of the Increase
Measles is preventable, but without vaccination, children (and unvaccinated adults) are at risk. A person with measles can be infectious before their symptoms are visible, with the potential to expose others on flights, in airports, or when they return to school and other activities. As measles is transmitted through shared airspace without needing close contact, it can spread rapidly if others are not immune. Just because you don't see someone with a large red rash doesn't mean it's not lurking in the air.
Recent data shows that 5-10% of children in the US start kindergarten unvaccinated, a number that has increased since before the pandemic. Previously, children having vaccine exemptions were the exception, not 10% of the incoming class. Susceptible children may travel to areas where measles is more prevalent and in turn, expose other unvaccinated children once back home. Is this surprising, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic in such recent memory? A pre-print study examining COVID-19 spill-over effects on vaccine attitudes reveals that the anti-vaccination sentiments that gained traction during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout have unfortunately spilled over to common childhood vaccines. This has fostered general skepticism towards vaccines, including the flu shot and extending to hypothetical vaccines in development. The measles vaccine, developed in 1963, is certainly not new technology, yet the same skepticism is being applied.
Public Health Concerns
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recently released a risk assessment on measles, determining there is a high likelihood of infectious travelers with the measles virus entering Canada and a high likelihood of multiple measles outbreaks within the next six weeks in education and healthcare settings, as well as in unvaccinated or under-vaccinated communities. This risk assessment itself is indicative of how serious the current situation is. You can read the full rapid risk assessment on PHAC's website here.
In addition to greater skepticism around vaccines, Florida has openly conflicted with the CDC's recommendations by allowing unvaccinated children to attend school amidst a measles outbreak. Such actions not only endanger the children themselves but also pose a significant threat to the broader community. While some parents choose not to vaccinate their children due to their own beliefs, there are community members who are unable to be vaccinated and are at high risk, such as those undergoing cancer treatments or with other health conditions that make them immunocompromised. We try to protect these individuals through herd immunity, but if vaccine coverage rates decline, this concept doesn't work. Recent cases where individuals contracted measles without any prior travel history or known exposure to infected persons show how real the transmission risks of the disease are.
What Can You Do To Protect Yourself and Your Family
The resurgence of measles serves as a sobering wake-up call. It underscores the importance of vaccination not only as a personal choice but as a collective responsibility toward safeguarding the health and well-being of our communities. For those of you lucky enough to have travel plans coming up, it is an important reminder to double-check that you and your family members' vaccinations are up to date before this March Break.
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