The North Carolina Medical Society continues to keep our members updated on issues affecting the medical community. Recently, we did a story on measles as a possible threat to North Carolina, adding to the problems we are already seeing with COVID, Flu and RSV. The World Health Organization has declared measles to be an “imminent threat in every region of the world”.
Due to the pandemic, WHO says nearly 40 million children missed at least one measles vaccine dose in 2021, making them dangerously susceptible to the increasing threat. The measles vaccine is one of the most effective ways to combat the spread of this highly contagious virus. It can be administered by itself or in combination with other vaccinations such as mumps and rubella (MMR vaccine). The two-dose vaccine delivers long-lasting protection, yielding about 99 percent protection against measles infection.
In mild cases, the infection produces a rash and fever, but can include encephalitis (brain swelling), blindness, and pneumonia in more severe cases.
Read the full article here.