Virginia has high measles vaccination rates, with approximately 95 percent of kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles, but dangerous rhetoric from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. threatens to change that.
Just this week, a school-age child in Hampton Roads was diagnosed with the fourth case of measles in Virginia this year. The patient is between the age of 5 and 12 and has recently travelled internationally, according to the Virginia Department of Health who is working to track members of the public who may have been exposed Aug. 27 to Sept. 1.
RFK’s anti-vaccine stance is having ripple effects across the nation, as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state surgeon general work to convince legislators to phase out vaccine mandates in the state.
ICYMI
- Department of Health: Confirmed case of measles for passenger at Dulles airport
- Another measles case at Dulles: What you need to do if you were exposed
- Department of Health: International travelers, Metro users possibly exposed to measles
- Charlottesville child tests positive for measles, likely linked to second case
- Charlottesville-area teen confirmed with second case of measles in Virginia
- Virginia Department of Health tracing potential exposure to measles through child
- Exposed to measles? Maybe, if you’ve travelled through NOVA airports, Washington area metro
The move has been widely criticized by physicians and medical leaders who have called it insane, stupid and dangerous.
Vaccinations are usually required for polio, measles, chickenpox and Hepatitis B at most schools across the nation including in Virginia.
VDH tracking exposure of measles case
VDH officials are coordinating efforts to identify anyone who might have been exposed in Virginia Beach and Norfolk:
- Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD) Health Center and Urgent Care at Loehmann’s Plaza, 3960 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, August 27, 5-8:30 p.m.
- CVS Pharmacy, 300 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach, August 28, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- CHKD Emergency Department/Hospital, 601 Children’s Lane, Norfolk
- Emergency department: August 30 from 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Hospital: August 30 at 6 p.m. to Monday, September 1 at 6 p.m.
Virginia residents with additional questions about their potential exposure can contact their local health department or email [email protected].
For more information about measles, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/measles/
About measles
Measles is a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, according to VDH.
Measles 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 spreads 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.
MMR vaccines
- Measles is preventable through a safe and effective MMR vaccine.
- Two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection.
- Infants who are too young to be vaccinated, and others who are not vaccinated, are very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to measles.
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Crystal Graham
