Are your children vaccinated? Ohio health officials warn of measles spread
CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Ohio has reported its first cases of measles, prompting health officials to warn that the virus is likely to continue spreading.
Dr. Steve Feagins, Hamilton County Public Health Medical Director, said that measles is one of the most contagious viruses.
"That's an example of just how quickly an outbreak can occur, which is three or more cases. And so, because of just how infectious measles is," said Feagins.
To prevent such outbreaks, Dr. Feagins emphasized the need for a 95% vaccination rate in an area. Currently, Ohio's vaccination rate for kindergarteners is around 89%, according to this year's school data. He warned that while most individuals may not suffer long-term health effects, a significant number could.
"Measles was responsible for up to 20% of hearing loss, lifetime hearing loss. A three in 1000 chance to have encephalitis and death. 20% of children with measles end up requiring hospitalization," said Dr. Feagins.
Pediatricians across Ohio and nationwide are urging parents to vaccinate their children due to these serious medical concerns. Dr. Robert Frenck from Children's Hospital expressed concern about the potential for more cases.
"I think it's a matter of time before it shows up here. Yes. I think we're going to see more cases. It's really dependent on the vaccination rate," said Dr. Frenck.
Dr. Frenck noted that vaccines like the MMR, which have been available since the early 1960s and proven safe, are crucial in preventing disease and outbreaks. However, he pointed out that the country has experienced periodic drops in vaccination rates.
"Every time we repeat the experiment, we get the same answer, which is that we get outbreaks. So, people were letting whooping cough or protest as vaccine rates drop; we get outbreaks of pertussis. We see the measles vaccine rates drop; we get outbreaks of measles. It's going to happen every time we see drops in vaccine rates; we're going to see outbreaks," said Dr. Frenck.
Data showed that individuals fully vaccinated against measles are 97% less likely to contract the virus. Ohio reported only seven cases of measles last year and just one the year before. In 2022, 90 people tested positive for the virus, with 85 infected in a single outbreak in central Ohio.
