Measles Exposure at Two Health Care Centers in Wayne County
In a recent development, a person from Wayne County was found to have measles, exposing others to this highly contagious virus at two health care locations. This adult, who has been involved in international travel, marks the seventh confirmed measles case in Michigan this year. The person is now in isolation.
The exposures happened at the following locations and times: the Michigan Medicine Canton Health Center on July 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and July 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Trinity Health IHA Urgent Care’s Schoolcraft Campus on July 27 from 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Measles is known to be a highly contagious disease, and infected droplets can linger in the air for as long as two hours after the infected person has left the room. Ninety percent of unvaccinated people exposed to the virus will become infected, and those infected can often spread the disease even before they are aware they have it.
What to do if you think you’ve been exposed?
If you think you’ve been exposed, and you’re not vaccinated or sure if you are, it’s recommended that you fill out a form to get recommendations and start monitoring for symptoms. If you had close contact with the virus, you might be able to get treatment that could prevent infection or at least lessen the severity of the illness.
If you may have been exposed, you should watch closely for symptoms for 21 days after the potential exposure. If you develop symptoms, call ahead before visiting any healthcare centers, so they can take necessary precautions against further spread.
Those who’ve come down with measles will usually see symptoms within 7-14 days of exposure, although they can show up to 21 days afterward. Symptoms include fever, a runny nose, cough, red watery eyes, and tiny white spots, known as Koplik spots, on the inner cheek or gums, ejecting a red, raised and blotchy rash that begins on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body.
Protecting yourself and others
It’s emphasized that the best way to prevent measles is to stay up-to-date with your measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccines; two doses are about 97% effective at preventing measles. If you were born during or after 1957 and don’t have any proof of immunity or vaccination, you should get vaccinated with two MMR doses.
Vaccines are available through various primary care providers and pharmacies, and many insurance plans cover the MMR vaccine cost. If financial barriers are there, you can also get a low or no-cost vaccine at Wayne County Public Health offices.
The risk of serious complications from measles is quite high, and those who get sick from the virus can face severe illness and, in some cases, long-term disability or death. So, it’s crucial to take this disease seriously and seek out the vaccine if you are not already vaccinated.
