Here's what to know if you're unsure about your measles immunity status
Measles cases are surging across the U.S. due to declining vaccination rates, prompting public health officials to urge citizens to verify their immunity status. Experts emphasize that the MMR vaccine remains the most effective defense against the highly contagious disease.
Why it matters
Public health awareness regarding immunization is critical to preventing outbreaks of highly contagious diseases in vulnerable populations.
Maria Fabrizio for NPR Measles is the most contagious disease known. It can rip through a population without immunity like wildfire. Just look at what's happening in Pennsylvania, says Patsy Stinchfield , executive director of the Measles Collaborative, a public health effort led by the National Infectious Diseases Foundation.
Health As diseases loom, CDC's response to measles deaths stirs fears about agency's reliability "In January in Pennsylvania, they had 12 cases. Now we're seeing 100 plus cases per week and over 1,000 cases in Pennsylvania," she says. "If Pennsylvania can see it spread that fast, that can happen in any state that has low immunization rates."
As vaccination rates have fallen across the country, many communities have become vulnerable. Nationwide, more than 4,000 measles cases have been reported this year alone — the highest number in 35 years. Pennsylvania has reported five deaths. New York state declared a measles emergency.
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