Vaccination is the best way to protect against becoming infected with measles, health officials say, and there are many places in the Houston area where the shots are available.
“This vaccine has been used for decades. We’ve found it to be very, very safe. It is very, very effective,” said Dr. David Persse, the City of Houston’s chief medical officer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two doses of measles vaccine – which is generally given as part of a combination measles-mumps-rubella shot – is 97 percent effective at preventing disease, and even one dose is 93 percent effective.
It can take about two or three weeks after the vaccine is given for it to be fully protective, but some protective antibodies are detectable within a few days, according to the CDC.
Where can the public get measles shots?
Pediatricians and primary care doctors can help arrange measles vaccinations, which are also available through many pharmacies.
Local health departments also can help connect people with free or reduced cost vaccinations against measles and other diseases. Contact Harris County Public Health at 823-927-7350 or www.hcphtx.org/Vaccines; or the City of Houston health centers by calling 832-395-9100.
The CDC also provides information about where to find vaccines at local pharmacies and health departments at this link.
Who needs to be vaccinated?
The CDC recommends children receive two doses of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine, with the first dose given at age 12-15 months, and the second dose at age 4-6 years old, before the child enters school.
Adults and teenagers also should be vaccinated, the CDC says, with either one or two doses of the vaccine, depending on their risk factors.
People who have been exposed to measles who don’t have easy access to confirm their vaccination status, can discuss with their doctor whether they should receive the vaccine as a protective measure.
The CDC recommends that anyone traveling internationally be fully vaccinated against measles, which has high rates of transmission in many countries. Before infants travel abroad, the CDC recommends an early dose of the MMR vaccine for infants who are 6-11 months old before the trip, then two more doses after their first birthday.
People born before 1957 are presumed to be protected against measles because they likely were infected before vaccines became available
What if you don’t know your vaccination status?
“The easy thing to do is just go ahead and get vaccinated,” said Persse. “If you were vaccinated as a child, it’s not going to be any harm to get vaccinated again.”
Another option, he said, is to get a blood test, called a titer test, that can help evaluate your immunity to measles from any previous vaccination or exposures. “Most labs can do it. It takes a day or two to get results,” he said.
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