Protect yourself from measles before summer travel
A measles vaccine guards against severe illness, dangerous complications and spread of the virus.Media Contact: Barbara Clements - bac60@uw.edu, 253-740-5043
Measles is one of the most contagious viral infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 1,200 measles cases in the United States so far this year. Because the virus is transmitted through the air, it is easy to catch in crowded places.
“The only reliable way to prevent it is to receive the vaccine — in fact for all of us to receive the vaccine.” said Dr, Paul Pottinger, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington School of Medicine. “That way, we are less likely to spread it to other people and we're less likely to catch it from people, as well,” he said.
As summer travel ramps up, Pottinger pointed out, “There's no safe place to go on vacation and not catch measles if you haven't had your shot. When we travel, it's not only about what happens to us with measles risks when we arrive, but also the process of traveling to airports, trains, bus stations, being on a plane.”
If you’re unsure about whether you’ve had measles or received a measles shot in the past, talk with your doctor about immunization, Pottinger suggested. He mentioned that infants as young as six months can receive the vaccination.
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