NorthIowaToday.com

Founded in 2010

News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region

Citizens urged to review their immunization records

child and doctorMASON CITY – With the recent news of confirmed cases of measles in the United States, health officials with the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health are encouraging all adults to review their immunization records and the records of their children to ensure they are up to date on their MMR (Measles, Mumps, & Rubella) immunizations.

Measles is a highly contagious virus spread through the air by droplets of respiratory secretions from an infected person.  The measles virus can live in the air or on surfaces for up to 2 hours.   Approximately 90% of individuals who are unvaccinated or have no natural immunity to the disease will contract the illness if they have close contact with someone who is infected.

Up to one third of those infected will develop complications.

  • Ear infections occur in about one out of every 10 children with measles and can result in permanent hearing loss.
  • Diarrhea is reported in less than one out of every 10 people with measles.
  • One out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.
  • One out of every 1,000 who get measles will develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain) that can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or mentally retarded.
  • For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it.

There are currently no reported cases of measles in Iowa.  However, according to the CDC, there were more than 50 individuals reported to have measles from six different states beginning January 1, 2015 through January 16, 2015. On January 21, 2015, the Douglas County Health Department in Omaha, NE announced there was a laboratory-confirmed case of measles reported to them. The individual visited several locations within the Omaha and Blair area within the last week, which could have exposed many others.

Since the introduction and widespread use of the MMR vaccine in the United States there has been a 99% reduction in measles cases. “Currently there is no treatment for measles, which is why prevention through vaccination is critical,” says Jeni Stiles, Disease Prevention Specialist, Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health. “The MMR vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones from the measles.”

The MMR vaccine is recommended for the following:

  • Children:  2 doses
  • First dose – 12-15 months of age

–       Some infants younger than 12 months of age should get a dose of MMR if they are traveling out of the country

  • Second dose – 4-6 years of age
  • Adolescents:  2 doses if the adolescent does not have proof of vaccination as a child
  • Adults:  1-2 doses

If you are unsure of you or your child’s vaccination status, the following resources may be useful in obtaining this information:

  • www.iris.iowa.gov – visit this website and enter the patient portal
  • Contact you or your child’s physician’s office
  • Contact the physician’s office you were taken to as a child
  • Any adult born after 1956 who cannot confirm they have been vaccinated or have had measles in the past should consider vaccination
  • Contact the State Immunization Registry for the state you lived in as a child, which you may find by internet search
  • Contact the school your child last attended
  • Contact the high school you last attended
  • Contact the local health department in the county you live or previously lived in
  • Contact the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health at 641-421-9322

“If you are unable to obtain your vaccination records or are unsure of your immunization status an extra dose of the measles vaccine will not harm you,” says Stiles.

If you or your child is in need of an MMR vaccination, please contact your physician’s office or the Cerro Gordo County Health Department at 641-421-9322.  The MMR vaccine is covered by most major insurance providers.  Financial assistance programs are available for individuals without health insurance or their current insurance plan does not cover the cost of the vaccine.

The Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health’s immunization clinic is open Monday through Friday 10AM-12PM & 12:30-4PM. Walk-ins are welcome.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

1 Comment
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Even more news:

Need help with your website?
Call your local professional,
Breakthrough Web Design:
515-897-1144
or go to
BreakthroughWebDesign.com

Copyright 2024 – Internet Marketing Pros. of Iowa, Inc.
1
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x