Editor’s Note: This news release has been updated to correct a factual error. The year the CDC declared measles eliminated in the United States was 2000, not 2020.
OLYMPIA – As the measles outbreak in the United States surpasses 800 confirmed cases across 24 states, including a fifth case reported this week in Washington state, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is urging parents and caregivers to make sure their children are protected from the disease by getting two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Adults are also strongly encouraged to verify their own measles vaccination status by checking their immunization records online at MyIRmobile.com, or by speaking with their provider to make sure they’re fully protected.
“I’m worried that some data show that Washington kindergartners have lower rates of MMR coverage than Texas or New Mexico – both of which are struggling with a measles outbreak,” said Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, State Health Officer, DOH. “Besides causing fever and rash, measles can sometimes cause life-threatening pneumonia and brain inflammation. The MMR vaccine is our best defense against measles, and we need to get more people up to date on vaccination to prevent a similar outbreak in Washington.”
This week also marks National Infant Immunization Week, an observance created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that highlights the importance of protecting children two years and younger from vaccine-preventable diseases. Children should receive their first dose of the MMR vaccine between 12 and 15 months of age, and a second dose between 4 to 6 years old.
Some cases of measles have occurred in infants who were too young to receive the MMR vaccine and traveled with their families to countries where there is a higher risk of measles. Parents planning travel to such places with an infant 6 to 11 months of age should check with their health care provider to see if an early dose of MMR vaccine can be given to prevent measles infection during travel. The dose must be given at least two weeks before departure for the best protection, and the infant will still need to start the regular two dose series between 12 and 15 months of age.
Adults who have received two documented doses of the MMR vaccine do not need to receive additional doses. It is especially important that high-risk adults, such as healthcare professionals, college students, people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, or those preparing for international travel, confirm they’ve previously received two doses to be fully protected.
In 2000, the CDC declared measles eliminated from the United States after high vaccination rates stopped the spread of the disease within the country, and the only cases came from contracting it abroad. However, declining vaccination rates in recent years – especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic – have aided the disease’s recent spread.
Videos of Dr. Kwan-Gett discussing the importance of the MMR vaccine are available on DOH’s social media channels. Additional recorded materials are available upon request. For access to this content, media can contact DOH-PIO@doh.wa.gov.
