Measles Alert in Wayne County Heath Care Centers

Heads up, folks! A resident from Wayne County has unfortunately gotten the measles, and it seems they might have spread it around a bit. This happened at two medical spots in Canton and Livonia from July 25 to July 29. The individual who caught this bug had been traveling abroad and is now the seventh confirmed case of measles in Michigan this year. They’re now isolated to stop the spread even further.

Here’s where and when the virus could have spread:

• The waiting area at Michigan Medicine Canton Health Center, on the Canton Center Road: from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 25 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 29.
• Trinity Health IHA Urgent Care’s Schoolcraft Campus on the St. Joe’s Parkway in Livonia: from 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on July 27.

Measles isn’t something to take lightly, friends. It’s so catchy, it can remain in the air for as long as two hours after an infected person leaves the room! Most people who aren’t vaccinated and get exposed will catch it. The particularly sneaky thing about measles is that those infected can spread it before they even know they’re sick.

The health department is urging folks who aren’t fully vaccinated or uncertain of their vaccine status and were around at these locations to jump online and fill out a form by going to this address: bit.ly/3WMsX6h. This will help get recommendations and begin self-monitoring.

Please keep an eye out for these measles symptoms: fever that might go above 104 degrees, runny nose, cough, red and watery eyes, tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums, and roof of the mouth, and a red, raised, and blotchy rash that starts on the face and spreads to the trunk, arms, and legs. Remember, these symptoms usually show up one to two weeks after you’ve been exposed to the virus.

Measles can lead to serious complications, and even cause long-term health problems and death. In the United States alone, this year, there have already been 188 confirmed measles cases with almost half of those needing hospital treatment. Kids are especially vulnerable, with 1 in 20 kids developing pneumonia and, in rare cases, even brain swelling which can lead to serious problems.

Sound scary? Don’t worry – there’s something we can do about it! The best way is to get vaccinated. If you and your loved ones get two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, you’ll be about 97% protected from getting measles. Kids should get the first shot around their first birthday, and a booster before they start school at about age 4 to 6. If you were born after 1957 and don’t have proof of vaccine, it’s recommended to get two doses. Also, if you think you’ve been exposed to measles, try to get a shot of the vaccine within 72 hours.

Where can you get this vaccine? It’s available through your usual doctors and pharmacies. Medicaid and most insurance plans cover the MMR vaccine at no cost. You can also get low-to-no-cost vaccines at Wayne County Public Health offices. Kids who qualify for the Vaccines for Children program can also get the vaccine at no cost from a provider enrolled in that program.

But let’s hope we can nip this in the bud and stay safe, folks!