NZ measles outbreak

[capsplace]

CDC recommends that travelers to New Zealand (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/new-zealand) protect themselves by making sure they are vaccinated against measles with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.  Before departure from the United States, infants (6 through 11 months of age) should have 1 dose of MMR vaccine, and adults and children over 1 year of age should have 2 doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.

 

This is is an excerpt from an email this morning from US Consulate in Auckland.  We went today and both received MMR shots.  Better safe than miserable.

[mom says]

Why wouldn't people already have had the MMR vaccine ( if they hadn't had the diseases in childhood)? It's not as though these aren't already recommended for every person as part of the usual routine immunization schedules. 

 

Still, I suppose it's a timely reminder for those who have been lax in this regard.

[Icon901]

11 minutes ago, mom says said:

Why wouldn't people already have had the MMR vaccine ( if they hadn't had the diseases in childhood)? It's not as though these aren't already recommended for every person as part of the usual routine immunization schedules. 

 

Still, I suppose it's a timely reminder for those who have been lax in this regard.

 

Unfortunately there is a whole generation of moron anti-vaxxers who are endangering public health based on the premise that Jenny McCarthy knows more about the science behind vaccines than 99.9% of doctors. 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Icon901

[hcat]

12 minutes ago, mom says said:

Why wouldn't people already have had the MMR vaccine ( if they hadn't had the diseases in childhood)? It's not as though these aren't already recommended for every person as part of the usual routine immunization schedules. 

 

Still, I suppose it's a timely reminder for those who have been lax in this regard.

You are apparently not having anti vaccine  issues in your area.  Huge controversy here in parts of  the US  lawsuits, etc.  Public health crisis in some areas,  where measles are making a huge "Comeback".

Hope it does not get  started on ships!

Noro is bad enough!

[UnorigionalName]

30 minutes ago, mom says said:

Why wouldn't people already have had the MMR vaccine ( if they hadn't had the diseases in childhood)? It's not as though these aren't already recommended for every person as part of the usual routine immunization schedules. 

 

Still, I suppose it's a timely reminder for those who have been lax in this regard.

 

the standard course is not 100% effective, and you can loose immunity later in life.  If the incidence of measles is low enough, this doesn't matter.  But the incidence is high enough now where it matters.

 

There are kind of 2 ways to go about it.  You can check your anti-measles titers and then get an MMR shot if it shows you are not immune, then get a follow up titer and try again and then if it still doesn't work you may be one of the unlucky few unable to be immune to measles.  The other is to not test and blindly give mmr to everyone.  I think the vaccine is cheap enough and testing annoying and expensive enough that it is cheaper to just give everyone the mmr if the risk is great enough.

[Fouremco]

7 minutes ago, hcat said:

You are apparently not having anti vaccine  issues in your area.  Huge controversy here in parts of  the US  lawsuits, etc.  Public health crisis in some areas,  where measles are making a huge "Comeback".

Hope it does not get  started on ships!

Noro is bad enough!

As of mid-August, there were 88 reported cases of measles in Canada this year, and there is ongoing public health concern here just as there is in the US and elsewhere. How much of this resurgence of measles is due to anti-vaxxers isn't clear, as in some cases it appears that parents were under the impression that measles had been eradicated and the vaccine was simply unnecessary. 

[REEtired]

1 hour ago, UnorigionalName said:

 

the standard course is not 100% effective, and you can loose immunity later in life.  If the incidence of measles is low enough, this doesn't matter.  But the incidence is high enough now where it matters.

 

There are kind of 2 ways to go about it.  You can check your anti-measles titers and then get an MMR shot if it shows you are not immune, then get a follow up titer and try again and then if it still doesn't work you may be one of the unlucky few unable to be immune to measles.  The other is to not test and blindly give mmr to everyone.  I think the vaccine is cheap enough and testing annoying and expensive enough that it is cheaper to just give everyone the mmr if the risk is great enough.

 

Not everyone can receive the MMR vaccine as it is a live vaccine. 

[julia]

According to the CDC, there have been 1,234 cases of measles reported in the US in 2019.  Measles are highly contagious, and can be lethal in the very young and elderly.  It's no coincidence that the surge in measles has occurred with the anti-vax movement. It's very disturbing....

[mom says]

The thing with anti vaxxers is that eventually they will self select themselves out of the gene pool. I'm OK with that.   Unfortunately they may take other people,  those who can't be vaccinated, with them. That part I'm definitely not ok with.

[lovecruzin]

DH was vaccinated in the 60s. Because of the recent measles cases in the US we both had the MMR titer done. He was not immune and needed to be re vaccinated.  So... just because you were vaccinated as a child in the 60s doesn't mean you are still immune. 

[capsplace]

U.S. Consulate General Auckland, New Zealand

Alert Message for U.S. Citizens: Measles Outbreak 

5 September 2019

 

 

Measles is circulating in New Zealand, particularly in the Auckland region.  Please follow the Ministry of Education link for more details about the 2019 measles outbreak. 

 

Measles is a disease caused by a virus that is spread through the air by breathing, coughing, or sneezing. Measles virus is highly contagious and can remain so for up to 2 hours in the air or on surfaces. Symptoms of measles are rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.

 

CDC recommends that travelers to New Zealand (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/new-zealand) protect themselves by making sure they are vaccinated against measles with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.  Before departure from the United States, infants (6 through 11 months of age) should have 1 dose of MMR vaccine, and adults and children over 1 year of age should have 2 doses of MMR vaccine separated by at least 28 days.

 

The New Zealand Ministry of Education is advising those with travel plans to Auckland to make sure every family member has been vaccinated against measles prior to commencing travel, keeping in mind that the vaccine takes two weeks to become effective.  Visitors may wish to consult the NZ Immunization Schedule for general guidance. For more specific questions, contact a health care professional.  

 

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in New Zealand enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at www.Travel.State.Gov.  STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency.  If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. 

 

Regularly monitor the State Department's website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, including the Travel Warning for the New Zealand, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution.  Read the Country Specific Information for New Zealand.  For additional information, refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” on the State Department’s website.

 

Contact the U.S. embassy or consulate for up-to-date information on travel restrictions.  You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel information at your fingertips.

[Iamcruzin]

6 hours ago, mom says said:

Why wouldn't people already have had the MMR vaccine.

 DW had the MMR as a child. It was discovered via a blood test during pregnancy that she didn't have the immunity. She received the the vaccine immediately after she delivered our son.

[Von & John]

I have a sibling who had to redo the MMR 3 or 4 times as an adult - before her immunity took...

[Yoshikitty]

I have recently received my MMS shot (thought that I've had it as a kid, mom says no).

 

The main argument from anti-vaccers is that the vaccine contains traces of mercury.

I have researched in depth, there is NO mercury in modern MMS vaccines!

 

Edited September 6, 2019 by Yoshikitty

[Yoshikitty]

double

Edited September 6, 2019 by Yoshikitty

[TeeRick]

5 hours ago, Yoshikitty said:

I have recently received my MMS shot (thought that I've had it as a kid, mom says no).

 

The main argument from anti-vaccers is that the vaccine contains traces of mercury.

I have researched in depth, there is NO mercury in modern MMS vaccines!

 

There is no mercury (thiomersal) in an attenuated live viral vaccine like MMR and it has been removed from the majority of other vaccines for many years.

Edited September 6, 2019 by TeeRick

[TeeRick]

13 hours ago, mom says said:

The thing with anti vaxxers is that eventually they will self select themselves out of the gene pool. I'm OK with that.   Unfortunately they may take other people,  those who can't be vaccinated, with them. That part I'm definitely not ok with.

Yes they can put themselves at risk, their decision,  but in reality they put their own children at risk and also other children at risk.  That is not OK at all.

[jamacka]

We just had our travel vaccines for Galapagos and we made sure to get boosters for measles, mumps, rubella and whooping cough, diphtheria,  tetanus and typhoid.  And we got our first of two shots for shingles for good measure.  We'll get the flu shot at the end of Oct.

[phoenix_dream]

From the CDC website.  I would take their advice before that of other cruisers without medical degrees:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/faqs.html

[Suzi66]

13 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

From the CDC website.  I would take their advice before that of other cruisers without medical degrees:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/faqs.html

Did you read the bit about international travellers should make sure they have had a booster?  Especially if they were innoculated with the killed virus type in the first place.

Thus the U.S. Consulate's advice is valid.

[phoenix_dream]

2 minutes ago, Suzi66 said:

Did you read the bit about international travellers should make sure they have had a booster?  Especially if they were innoculated with the killed virus type in the first place.

Thus the U.S. Consulate's advice is valid.

Never said it wasn't valid.