Lapeer Area View

Vaccine available at Lapeer County Health Dept. to immunize against measles




LAPEER TWP. — The Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) on Wednesday confirmed two new measles cases in southeast Michigan, bringing the state total to 42 for 2019. The newly confirmed cases are in Oakland County and the City of Detroit. One of the cases had exposure locations in Kent and Ingham counties.

The outbreak, which began in mid- March, has resulted in 39 cases in Oakland County, one in Wayne County and one in the City of Detroit. In addition, an international traveler was diagnosed with measles following a visit to Washtenaw County, during which time he was contagious. Infected individuals range in age from 8 months to 63 years; a majority of the cases involve adults.

The Lapeer County Health Dept., located at 1800 Imlay City Rd. in Lapeer Township, offers vaccinations against the measles and other diseases. Adults needing immunizations should call the office at 810-667-0448 to determine the vaccine costs, administration fees and insurance coverage information. The administration fee is $22 per vaccine.

The health department offers walk-in clinics on Monday from 1-3:30 p.m., while immunizations by appointment can be made on Tuesday from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.

Vaccines save lives, though the Health Dept. understands that parents may have questions about vaccines. Nurses are available to discuss these concerns and provide information.

The measles vaccine is highly effective and very safe. A single dose of measles vaccine protects about 95 percent of children, but after two doses, almost 100 percent are immune. The first of two routine childhood measles vaccine doses is given at 12-15 months of age. A second vaccine dose is given before the start of kindergarten, between ages 4 and 6 years.

MDHHS follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and does not recommend routine measles vaccinations for children less than 12 months of age unless there is a suspected measles exposure; there is thought to be an imminent measles exposure such as being in areas of known measles; or international travel planned.

This is the highest number of measles in the state since 1991 when 65 cases were reported. So far this year in the U.S., there have been 555 cases of measles confirmed in 20 states. Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact, and through the air.

The virus can live for up to two hours in the air where the infected person was present. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure and may include:

• High fever (may spike to over 104°F).

• Cough.

• Runny nose.

• Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis).

• Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums, and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots) 2-3 days after symptoms begin.

• A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms, and legs 3-5 days after symptoms begin.

If symptoms develop, residents are urged to call their doctor or emergency room before arriving so they can take precautions to prevent exposure to other individuals.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.