A confirmed case of measles led the Arlington County Public Health Division to issue a warning to anyone who may have visited a Virginia Harris Teeter store on July 1.
People who may have been at the N. Glebe Road location in Arlington County between noon and 4 p.m. should watch for symptoms through July 22.
Anyone who may not have a measles-containing vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) or a measles only vaccine (available in other countries) may be at risk.
The confirmed case is a resident of another state.
Measles symptoms
Measles is a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.
Measles symptoms usually appear in two stages.
The first stage
- A fever of greater than 101 degrees
- Runny nose
- Watery red eyes
- Cough
These symptoms usually start 7 to 14 days after being exposed.
The second stage
- Rash begins to appear on the face
- Rash spreads to the rest of the body
The second stage starts three to five days after symptoms start/
People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash appeared.
What to do if you get measles
If you notice the symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home and away from others.
- Contact your healthcare provider right away.
- 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 health department.
- 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.
- If you have an immunocompromising condition, please consult with your healthcare provider if you have questions or develop symptoms.
Prevention
Measles is preventable through a safe and effective MMR vaccine.
Two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection.
Virginia has high measles vaccination rates, with approximately 95 percent of kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles.
However, infants younger than 12 months of age are too young to be vaccinated. These infants, and others who are not vaccinated, are very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to someone with measles.
If you have any questions about this potential exposure, please contact the Arlington County Public Health’s Communicable Disease Programs at (703) 228-5657.
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Crystal Graham
