With measles cases on the rise across the country, Corewell Health is urging communities to get vaccinated to ensure their protection.
Corewell’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Nolan tells us that measles is one of the most contagious respiratory viruses and can be particularly dangerous for infants and young children.
“Measles is truly one of the most communicable respiratory viruses that are out there,” Nolan says. “In fact, that virus can hang around in the air for up to four to six hours when someone leaves a room, meaning that if you are not vaccinated against it and you are susceptible to it. The chances of you actually getting measles is really high, much higher than if you were to walk into, say, a movie theater and someone had a common cold.”
Measles can be prevented with the MMR vaccine, which is both safe and effective. Nolan emphasized that as vaccination rates decline, the risk of the current outbreak escalating increases.
“What we’re seeing with declining vaccine rates is that measles now actually has a chance to spread to the community,” Nolan says. “As I mentioned earlier, it is one of the most spreadable viral respiratory infections out there. So if you get more people that don’t have the vaccine, it makes it almost like putting fuel on the fire.”
If you’ve received both doses of the vaccine in the past, there’s no need to worry, as immunity lasts a lifetime. However, if you haven’t you should schedule an appointment to get one.
If you’ve been exposed to someone with measles, it’s important to avoid further contact and wear a mask.
Currently, there are no reported cases of measles in Southwest Michigan. According to the CDC, as of April 10, there have been 712 confirmed cases across 25 states, including Michigan.
