The Virginia Department of Health has confirmed a case of measles with potential exposure to anyone who may have visited Washington Dulles International Airport on March 5.
The confirmed case was an individual who was returning from international travel.
According to health officials, you may have been exposed if you were in Terminal A, on transportation to the main terminal or in the baggage claim area of Dulles International Airport between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5.
Health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights.
Measles is a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.
Virginia has high vaccination rates with approximately 95 percent of kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles.
Two deaths have been reported from measles due to an outbreak in Texas and New Mexico: one unvaccinated adult from Lea County, New Mexico, and an unvaccinated 6-year-old in Lubbock, Texas. The deaths are the first measles fatalities since 2015.
More than 200 cases have been reported in the two states.
RFK Jr. and unconventional treatment for measles
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pushed anti-vaccine treatments including the use of vitamin A in the past.
In an interview with Fox News this week, Kennedy endorsed an unconventional treatment regimen for measles including a steroid, an antibiotic and cod liver oil, which is rich in vitamin A, according to an article by CNN.
However, doctors warn that following that advice could have dire consequences. The supplement may be harmful to children in large doses, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“I’m very concerned about the messaging that’s coming out,” Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, chief of infectious diseases at Children’s Health in Dallas, told Reuters. “It’s somewhat baffling to me that we’re relitigating the effectiveness of vaccines and alternative therapies. We know how to handle measles. We’ve had six decades of experience.”
Kennedy told Fox that a vaccination for measles is a “personal choice.”
“At this point, we are recommending that people in those [undervaccinated] communities get vaccines. We understand a lot of them will not, and we’re going to try to make sure that they’re taken care of through the best therapeutic interventions that we can provide them or recommend for them,” Kennedy said.
Measles symptoms
Symptoms usually appear in two stages:
- In the first stage, most people have a fever of greater than 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes and a cough. These symptoms usually start seven to 14 days after being exposed.
- The second stage starts three to five days after symptoms start, when a rash begins to appear on the face and spread to the rest of the body.
People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash appeared.
Actions if you were exposed
If you have never received a measles containing vaccine (either the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine or a measles-only vaccine which is available in other countries), you may be at risk of developing measles.
- Watch for symptoms until March 26.
- Anyone who was exposed and considered to be at risk of developing measles should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
- If you notice the symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home.
- Call ahead before going to your healthcare provider’s office or the emergency room to notify them that you may have been exposed to measles and ask them to call the local health department.
- Anyone with an immunocompromising condition should consult with their healthcare provider if they have questions or develop symptoms.
- If you have received two doses of a measles containing vaccine, or were born before 1957, you are protected and do not need to take any action.
- If you have received only one dose of a measles containing vaccine, you are very likely to be protected and your risk of being infected with measles from any of these exposures is very low. However, to achieve complete immunity, contact your healthcare provider about getting a second vaccine dose.
Measles vaccine
Measles is preventable through a safe and effective MMR vaccine.
- Two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection.
- Infants younger than 12 months of age are too young to be vaccinated.
- Infants, and others who are not vaccinated, are very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to someone with measles.
- If you or your child have not yet been vaccinated, call your health provider.
More information
- To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or request records from the VDH Immunization Record Request Form.
- For additional information, contact your local health department.
- Virginia residents with additional questions about their potential exposure can call VDH at (804) 363-2704 or email [email protected].
- For more information about measles visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/measles/
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Crystal Graham
