Measles Outbreaks Around the Globe
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009
Measles have all but been eliminated in the United States. It is the rare occurrence where you might hear of a child or an adult getting the measles. In the last ten years there have only been around 150 cases of measles in the United States.
The situation is not the same in other countries around the globe. In just the last few months, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) has received reports of several measles outbreaks worldwide. There were six reports of imported measles in the month of December, 2008 alone.
These reports do not mean its time to stay home. Global travel is easier and less expensive today than it has been almost any time in history. Instead of running in fear, these reports should be a reminder that you need to be completely prepared for your global travel experiences.
- Get up to day vaccines before you are scheduled to leave. Don't wait until the day before you go to get your final shot (measles vaccination takes two shots). Give your body time to adjust (and even react) to the shots.
- Children need special care when traveling out of the country. Infants that have not yet received a measles vaccination (because of their age) should probably get one if they are over the age of six months. Be sure to talk to your doctor about the situation.
- Always carry your health documents with you just in case you are exposed to measles. You will be able to prove that you have been immunized or that you immune because of past exposure.