A measles outbreak is ongoing in South Carolina. Of the 111 cases, 105 are in those who were unvaccinated. Since Friday, the South Carolina Department of Public Health has reported 27 new cases of measles across the state.
Sixteen of the new cases resulted from the previously reported exposure at the Way of Truth Church in Inman.
The calls for people to get the vaccination have increased as reports continue to surface of the spread of the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States says that measles is a “highly contagious” and potentially serious disease that is preventable. Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine are recommended.
Vaccination Pleas Increase As Measles “Outbreak” Spreads
Doctor Linda Bell spoke during the SCDPH media briefing, according to WYFF4, a local NBC News affiliate. She says 254 people are in quarantine, and 16 are in isolation. During the briefing, Bell told the public it’s important to understand the risk and know that vaccination is always the best prevention.
“It probably takes about two weeks to get full immunity after vaccination. What is possible, though, is that if someone is vaccinated promptly after exposure within 72 hours, that can prevent a measles exposure,” Bell said. “It can prevent a measles infection if they have been exposed and are promptly vaccinated within 72 hours. That has been shown to prevent measles infection.”
The CDC said that measles was declared eliminated from the U.S., and it credits the vaccines.
Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000. However, measles is still common in many parts of the world. Every year, measles is brought into the United States by unvaccinated travelers who get measles while they are in other countries. These travelers are mostly Americans and sometimes international visitors. —CDC.gov
While it is still possible to get measles even if you have been vaccinated, this is highly unlikely and considered a rare occurrence, according to a report by Today. Breakthrough infections appear to be much less likely with measles vaccines than with the COVID-19 vaccines.
Measles is very contagious. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. You can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been. This can happen even up to 2 hours after that person has left. –CDC.gov
Make your own decision on whether or not you’ll get the measles vaccine. The good news is that if you’re older, you have likely already been exposed to measles and may carry natural immunity to the virus.
The unvaccinated are very likely to once again get the blame from the mainstream media and health officials for spreading the measles virus.
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