State health officials in Oklahoma confirmed the state’s first case of measles since 1997.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health indicated on Friday that a patient, a Stillwater resident who traveled internationally, was diagnosed with the virus. Subsequently, the state health department is warning area residents that they may have been exposed to the disease.
While those in Stillwater may have been exposed to measles, health officials want people to understand that the actual risk of contracting the vaccine-preventable disease is low.
Local news outlet Stillwater News Press quoted state epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley as having said that most of the state’s residents “immunize and are pretty good about staying up to date” when it comes to vaccinations.
Most people in Oklahoma immunize and are pretty good about staying up to date on vaccinations
In regards to vaccination, Dr. Bradley went on to explain that after just a couple of doses, the MMR vaccine is 97 percent effective in preventing not only measles, but mumps and German measles known formerly as rubella.
For children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends one dose at 12-15 months and another dose at 4-6 years.
Those who have previously had the disease — such as, with few exceptions, those born during or before 1957 who already had the disease as a child — are immune to the disease.Earlier in March, Ohio State University announced a program requiring students to provide proof of vaccination shots for diseases deemed vaccine-preventable.
Last month, our own Clarissa Wilson reported on here on Immortal News about the ongoing debate over whether or not to get vaccinated for measles. In light of the highly contagious disease’s return, what are your thoughts on mandatory vaccinations?
