On April 19, The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) confirmed the state’s first measles case of the year. Positive measles cases have been recently reported in DC and Maryland, and there have been multiple reports of possible exposures throughout the DMV area.
The Virginia patient is a child 4 years old or younger who recently traveled internationally. To protect the family’s privacy, VDH did not provide any additional information about the patient.
“This first case of measles in Virginia this year is a reminder of how easily this highly contagious disease can spread, particularly with international travel,” Laurie Forlano, a VDH epidemiologist, said in a statement. “Vaccination remains our best defense against measles and is safe and highly effective at protecting people and preventing outbreaks. We urge Virginians, especially those planning to travel, to check their vaccination status, talk to their health care provider, and get the MMR vaccine if needed.”
The patient visited the Kaiser Permanente Caton Hill Medical Center’s Advanced Urgent Care in Woodbridge on Tuesday, April 15, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. And the Kaiser Permanente Fredericksburg Medical Center’s pediatrics department on Wednesday, April 16, from noon to 5 p.m.
Anyone who is considered at risk for developing measles and was at these facilities during the same time frame should contact their health care provider immediately. Health officials are also coordinating efforts to identify anyone who might have been exposed.
Do You Need a Measles Booster?
Dr. Sujata Ambardar, an infectious disease physician at Inova Fairfax Hospital, says if you are vaccinated against measles, you most likely do not need a booster.
Ambardar has heard reports that some people who got vaccinated between 1957 and 1968 “may have gotten vaccines that were inactivated — not a live vaccine — so those people may not have as much of a robust response.” She suggests anyone concerned can get a blood titer test done that will show whether or not you have immunity.
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