Clark County Health Department Explains the Measles, Final
Friday, February 20th, 2015 -- 11:12 AM
-The U.S. has seen an increase in Measles cases for 2015.Many of the cases are linked back to a theme park in California where officials believe someone exposed to the disease overseas recently vacationed to.
Laura Betthauser, with the Clark County Health Department, offered some advice if you're hesitant or even afraid to get vaccinated.
She said, "I would say talk with your healthcare provider about those hesitations and fears. They are the people who have knowledge, who can guide you and maybe talk with you about those fears and hesitations. Everyone has the right to make an informed decision about their healthcare, so talking over the risks and benefits of vaccination is a really important step in making those informed decisions. If you maybe are just more comfortable using the internet, just please make sure the websites that you are going to are trustworthy. Some examples that I have of highly regarded websites include the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control websites as well as Immunize.org. Those are all great websites to go to for good, factual information on vaccinations."
If you don't have health insurance, but would like to get an MMR vaccine, the Clark County Health Department can help you out.
"The best protection we have to prevent Measles is vaccination," Laura said. "The Clark County Health Department does offer the MMR vaccination to most adults and children who don't have health insurance. So, just, please, call ahead and talk with a nurse if you are interested in getting that vaccination."
So far, two possible Measles cases were identified in Portage County, but one case tested has come back negative and the other case is still pending.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.