Reply
Thu 8 Jun, 2006 03:25 pm
In the Boston area (not sure about any where else), I keep hearing about if you have been here or there within the past so many days see your doctor as there has been a measles outbreak. Most recently there was one in a professional office building. A family member has been potentially exposed. How the heck is this happening and with such frequency? I thought every child since the late 50s was required to get measles vaccine - schools will not allow a child to enter unless they have the appropriate vaccine. Supposedly what I read on the CDC webpage is that these vaccines are 95% effective for life. Then how are these outbreaks happening?
Could be do to all the illegal immigrants coming across the borders. Also, note that TB is really on the rise, too.
You need to get a booster shot on your MMR shot every 10 years.
I had heard that also every 10 years, however, the CDC website does not say this and neither does my doctor. One shot is enough according to both those sources.
I was wondering how in a professional office building as these are workers that would have been required to have an education. However, you are correct - I wonder if the cleaning company hires illegal immigrants.
Linkat wrote:I had heard that also every 10 years, however, the CDC website does not say this and neither does my doctor. One shot is enough according to both those sources.
I was wondering how in a professional office building as these are workers that would have been required to have an education. However, you are correct - I wonder if the cleaning company hires illegal immigrants.
If you work in a Clinic or a Hospital setting, your employee file will contain the dates of all your imunizations and the managers will insist you get those boosters. Another important booster is the tetanus shot.
One other thing, I think most Colleges will require the boosters, if you're an older adult. The younger students only have to have their first MMR shots.
When I was attending grad school - I went part time after work, there was a measles outbreak. They were requiring everyone that had not had the vaccine within a certain period of time to get a booster or else they couldn't attend classes. I called my doctor and she said that there was no reason for me to get it, however, I explained I couldn't go back to class without it - so she gave it to me even though she thought I would not need it.
There was a recent article in my paper saying they were trying to locate thousands of people (in my state) who had received vaccines that had been stored at the wrong temperature and might not have been effective.
I can't remember exactly which vaccine it was but I'll try to find out.
Perhaps the problem isn't only here.
Quote:Multnomah County health officials are looking for ways to reach more than 6,000 people who received vaccines of questionable effectiveness during the past three years.
In late February, Multnomah County health officials reported that thousands of people might have to be revaccinated because vaccines had not been stored at proper temperatures.
Of more than 6,500 people who received vaccines of questionable effectiveness in Multnomah County during the past three years, however, only about 450 -- mostly children younger than 24 months and adults with HIV infections -- have been revaccinated.
Quote:The childhood vaccines in question are diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (given in a single inoculation) and measles, mumps and rubella (also given in a single shot), and haemophilus influenza.
It sounds like a local problem but maybe it is a local problem where you are too.
Full story:
http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1149733546316030.xml?oregonian?lcfp&coll=7&thispage=1
If you've had the vaccine in the past, you should still have circulating antibodies in your blood. A titer of these antibodies could be done to see if you need a booster. One problem, however, the test is expensive and your insurance might not pay for it. If you work in a Hospital, the test will be free.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace