Protect Yourself against Measles

Several states including Washington, New York, and Illinois have on going measles outbreaks. Sauk County and state public health officials recommend unvaccinated individuals 1 year and older receive a measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them.

“Measles is an acute, highly contagious viral disease. A small number of cases are capable of quickly producing epidemics,” says Tara Hayes, health officer for Sauk County. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough and rash. Although measles is usually considered a childhood disease, it can be contracted at any age. Generally, preschool children, adolescents, young adults and inadequately immunized individuals comprise the majority of measles cases in the United States. There is no specific treatment for measles.

“The best way to protect yourself and your family against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases is by immunization,” Hayes says. Children should receive their first dose of measles vaccine between 12 and 15 months of age; another dose at 4-6 years of age. Measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine is generally first given at 12 months of age in the United States, but is sometimes recommended for children as young as 6 months of age who are traveling outside the United States or could be infected in an outbreak.

For more information on measles, visit https://www.co.sauk.wi.us/publichealth/measles or www.cdc.gov/measles.  To obtain a measles vaccination, call your health care provider or Sauk County Health Department, (608) 355-3290.