Measles is back – here are five things you need to know
Measles is back – here are five things you need to know
Measles has infected more than 2,500 people across Canada this year, including 12 in B.C. Here are five things UBC experts say you need to know.
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- Measles is up to six times more transmissible than COVID-19.
- There is no cure.
- Measles can cause “immune amnesia.”
- Measles can cause serious brain damage — even decades after an initial infection.
- At least 95 per cent of the population must be vaccinated against measles for herd immunity.
“The MMR is a safe, extremely effective vaccine, and for almost everyone will give lifelong protection,” says Dr. Sadarangani. “Being fully vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family and vulnerable members of our community. Vaccines save lives.”
so if you were vaccinated as a kid you should be good? or is there like a booster or something
I think only if you have a good reason or don't have 100% verifiable documentation. Before our first child was born the doctor recommended we get MMR again just to be sure. You don't want to risk it around a vulnerable newborn.
There is always a chance that your immunity has worn off. Through my doctor I got a blood test and found I was no longer immune, so I got another shot. If you're concerned you could ask your doctor or maybe visit a walk-in clinic if you don't have one.
If you got vaccinated from 1970 or earlier, get a booster. If later than that, get your titer level checked. The immunity is good but not everyone becomes immune.
Measles is up to six times more transmissible than COVID-19.
This seems low... From what I understand, measles is the most contagious virus that we know of and remains active in an area for up to two hours without a host.
Nope, measles is up to six times more contagious (UNICEF measures it as only two times more infectious). It doesn't help that the world in general has gotten really lax about how dangerous Covid is, particularly with the latest variants, so our baseline is off.
https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/5-things-you-didnt-but-should-know-about-measles/
https://www.unicef.org/uzbekistan/en/stories/how-dangerous-measles