Measles update

vaccines save lives February 2015

It is official, there is a measles outbreak in the US, and as of February 2 there are 102 cases in 14 states, most stemming from the Disneyland exposure in mid-December. We have also been notified by the health department that there are measles cases in both San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. We’ve been getting lots of calls from parents asking about what they should do to protect their child.

We have elected to follow the CDC and AAP guidelines:

we are recommending the first MMR at 12 months [if your child hasn’t had this please call for an immunization appointment, and you need to wait one month after the chicken pox vaccine]

we are NOT recommending accelerating the 2nd MMR booster at this time [we are giving it at the current recommended 4-6 year range]

we are not routinely recommending MMR vaccine for infants 6-12 months unless travelling to measles endemic countries per CDC/WHO guidelines.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, and even President Obama have urged parents to get their child vaccinated. At PWG we believe that vaccines are safe and important for the health and welfare of your child, your family and our community. It is our policy that patients in our practice must be vaccinated.

Why did the cases spread so fast? This two minute video does an excellent job demonstrating how quickly a disease can spread.

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