Measles outbreak avoids north country; local officials still take precautions

April 18-- Apr. 18--The measles outbreak has plagued areas of New York state since October, but luckily still hasn't made its way to the north country. Even still, county health officials are taking precautions to ensure it stays that way, with some school vaccination rates below 50 percent.

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through an infected person coughing or sneezing. A person will be contagious for four days before the rash appears and for four days after the rash appears. They are no longer contagious on the fifth day after the rash started. The virus remains active and contagious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours.

Common symptoms of the disease include fever, skin rash, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat and inflamed eyes. Additional complications may include ear infection, pneumonia and encephalitis, which can result in permanent brain damage.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday there have been 555 confirmed measles cases in the U.S., 50 percent higher than the total number recorded last year. As of Monday, 329 cases have been confirmed in Brooklyn and Queens, with New York state considered home to over 500 reported cases throughout this outbreak.

The best prevention for the measles is the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, known as MMR, but with the recent anti-vaccination movement nationwide, the vaccine has become less and less popular.

The MMR vaccine is typically given to children in two doses: one between the ages of 12 and 15 months and the second dose between the ages of 4 and 6. Once vaccinated twice, the U.S. vaccination schedule considers that person protected against measles for life.

Most children receive their second dose before entering kindergarten, as all public, private and parochial schools in the state require children to be vaccinated. The only reason a child may not be vaccinated while attending a state school is for a religious or medical exemption.

For Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, the complete vaccination rate for public schools ranges from 94 percent to 100 percent, according to data from the New York State Department of Health.

For private schools, however, the range shifts.

The private schools in Jefferson County are significantly higher, ranging from 96.5 percent to 100 percent. The lowest rating belongs to Faith Fellowship Christian School, with no religious or medical exemptions.

Stephen A. Jennings, public health planner for Jefferson County Public Health Service, said the county's vaccination rates are typically very high.

"Even with these exemptions, most children in Jefferson County schools are vaccinated against MMR, with many schools reporting between 99 and 100 percent ... most schools have enough herd immunity to protect children," Mr. Jennings said.

In Lewis County, private schools with complete immunizations range from 27.3 percent to 100 percent. The Hope Mennonite Fellowship School has the 27.3 percent rate, with 72.7 percent religiously exempt from vaccination and 0 percent medically exempt.

Marcia Ashline, supervising public health nurse for Lewis County Public Health, said the department has been working with health care providers to create measle outbreak control guidelines with their patients. Additionally, there are protocols involving their local schools if a measles outbreak occurs. "When there are cases of highly-communicable diseases within a school district, we provide guidance on infection control, as well as letters to send home with students," Ms. Ashline said.

In St. Lawrence County, the complete immunization rate ranges from 15.1 percent to 98.2 percent.

The 15.1 percent completed vaccination rate belongs to Holy Name of Jesus Academy, Massena, which has the lowest rate of the tri-county area. The academy has 21.9 percent of students religiously exempt from vaccination and 1.5 percent medically exempt. The vaccination status of the remaining 61.5 percent of the academy's population is unknown.

The academy did not respond to comment on Wednesday.

Dana O. McGuire, director of St. Lawrence Public Health, said the county has worked with schools to send information sheets on the measles, the MMR vaccine and how to get vaccinated.

"An immunization campaign is being planned for May that will touch on this and the importance of all immunizations to assist families to be prepared for the upcoming school year," Ms. McGuire said.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it's never too late to get vaccinated, regardless of age. One dose of the MMR vaccine is 93 percent effective against measles, 78 percent effective against mumps and 97 percent effective against rubella. Two doses of the vaccine are 97 percent effective against measles and 88 percent effective against mumps.

Both the center and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continuously monitor the safety of vaccines after they are approved. If a problem is found with a vaccine, the agencies will inform health officials, health care providers and the public.

For more information about measles or the measles vaccine, call the New York State Measles Hotline at 888-364-4837.

Tribune News Service contributed to this report.

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