The United States is As of July 16, over 1,300 cases of 40 states experienced the worst year of measles. In 2019, cases were almost quite high, putting the country’s measles elimination situation at risk. Six years ago, health officials were able to stop the difference. However, many strategies used now may not work now in the face of strong public opposition to vaccines.
Measles elimination means a country has not spread continuously for more than 12 months. This happened almost in the 2019 outbreak, which largely affected Orthodox Jews in New York City and some surrounding counties. In the fall of 2018, U.S. travelers returning from Israel tested positive for measles. Due to the low vaccination rate, the disease quickly spreads throughout the community, especially among children. While the measles vaccination rate for school-age children across the state was 98% of the previous school year, the vaccination range in schools in the outbreak area was only 77%. Because measles is highly contagious, a 95% vaccination rate is needed to protect the community from the disease.
As a result, most cases of measles occur in individuals aged 18 and under, with nearly 86% of whom are referred to as uninoculated. Some of them have had serious complications, including pneumonia, and nearly 8% are hospitalized.
The current outbreak stems from a vaccine Mennonite community in western West Texas, which originated from the outbreak. The case has since spread to other Texas counties, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Two children in Texas have no potential conditions, while an adult in New Mexico died of measles this year. No one was vaccinated.
“There are certainly similarities. What we’re seeing in New York is largely the result of years of misinformation and false information surrounding vaccine safety,” said Neil Vora, executive director of Pandemics at Source Coalition, a former medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who helped respond to the 2019 outbreak.
After a few months of efforts, the case was eventually burned in New York, which included traditional public health approaches and policy changes at the local and state levels.
“You need to take the first case seriously because it’s like lighting up. You never know when a fire broke out.” said Oxiris Barbot, current president and CEO of United Hospital Fund, who served as New York City Health Commissioner from 2018 to 2020.
As the disease spreads, Barbert realized that the city’s health department needed to move to the source of transmission, which was largely Orthodox Jewish schools in affected communities. They worked with school administrators to review vaccination records to identify children who were not vaccinated or under-vaccinated. After contact, these children are prohibited from going to school and parenting for 21 days, which is the incubation period of measles. Similar measures have been taken in certain counties outside the city.
“It takes a lot of staff time, a lot of leg work,” Barbot said. In one school, a contagious child causes more than 25 infections from other students and further spreads the school. She said the health department was “significantly involved” to ensure schools comply with quarantine measures. ”
