Do you need tattoo anesthesia or a measles vaccine? What to know
This collection of stories explores health-related decisions, including vaccination and and anesthesia.
Measles cases rise across the U.S., prompting questions about the need for additional MMR vaccinations. Vaccinated individuals usually have lifelong immunity, but checking immunization records proves essential.
In Miami, some opt for sedation tattooing to alleviate pain and hasten completion. Sedation Ink combines tattoo artistry and medical oversight to ensure client safety and efficiency.
Read the stories below.
Sedation Ink artists work on a back tattoo for client Dom Groenveld as he is anesthetized at a surgical office on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Miami, Fla. Sedation Ink offers tattooing under anesthesia, allowing clients to complete extensive body art in a single session. By Photo by Matias J. Ocner
NO. 1: DO YOU NEED ANESTHESIA TO GET A TATTOO? SEE HOW A MIAMI STUDIO MIXES MEDICINE AND INK
What to know about the studio sedation. | Published February 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante
A 3D graphical representation of a measles virus particle.
NO. 2: DID YOU GET THE MEASLES VACCINE IN THE PAST? DO YOU NEED ANOTHER SHOT? HOW TO CHECK
What to know about how long it lasts. | Published March 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
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UPI
a day ago
- UPI
Paraguay declares health emergency over measles outbreak
A healthcare worker administers a dose of measles vaccine during a vaccination campaign in Cochabamba, Bolivia, in late June. Bolivian health authorities intensified vaccination campaigns in the nine regions of the South American country after the declaration of a national emergency due to a measles outbreak. Photo by Jorge Abrego/EPA Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Paraguay has declared a health emergency after confirming its first measles outbreak in a decade, with five unvaccinated children infected in the San Pedro department. Health authorities said the outbreak may be linked to foreign visitors from countries with active cases and acknowledged that vaccination rates in that part of Paraguay are below recommended levels. The outbreak began with a 5-year-old boy who was hospitalized with pneumonia, fever, cough and a skin rash. By Aug. 7, three other children in the same household had tested positive, followed by a fifth case three days later, according to the Health Ministry. All five patients remained under observation during the incubation period, estimated at seven to 18 days. While in Paraguay overall, the vaccination rate for measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, is 82% for the first dose and 68% for the second, while the vaccination coverage in San Pedro is 74% for the first dose and 54% for the second -- well below the 95% recommended to maintain herd immunity. The Health Ministry deployed a National Rapid Response Team, launched targeted vaccination campaigns in the affected area and urged residents to complete their immunization schedules. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause serious complications and death, especially in unvaccinated people. In 2025, measles is experiencing an alarming resurgence in the Americas, reversing the trend of sustained control since the virus was declared eliminated as a public health problem in 2016. By mid-June, the Pan American Health Organization had recorded more than 7,132 confirmed cases and 13 deaths -- 29 times higher than in the same period last year. The countries most affected include Mexico, the United States, Canada and Argentina, though outbreaks or imported cases have also been detected in nations that had gone decades without local transmission, such as Belize and Paraguay. The increase is linked mainly to declining vaccination coverage, along with the international spread of the virus and low revaccination rates in at-risk groups. This public health setback has forced countries in the region to strengthen epidemiological surveillance systems and launch mass vaccination campaigns for people who are unvaccinated, missing doses or need revaccination if born after 1965. Health authorities warn that cross-border travel and communities with low immunization rates increase the risk of outbreaks spreading and becoming harder to contain. In response, the Pan American Health Organization and the health ministries of affected countries are urging people to review and complete their vaccination schedules to break the chain of transmission and prevent the region from losing decades of progress in controlling the highly contagious disease.
Newsweek
05-08-2025
- Newsweek
These Diseases Are on the Rise as Vaccine Rates Decrease
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. vaccination rate is on a steady multiyear decline, with the Centers of Disease Prevention and Control reporting that coverage for all children entering kindergarten in the 2024-25 school year declined for all reported vaccines. The measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine has dropped to 92.5 percent, down from 92.7 percent last year. The overall vaccine exemption rate also climbed to 3.6 percent. Experts are now warning that the declines in vaccine coverage in the United States has led to notable increases in several diseases, including measles, whooping cough and hand, foot and mouth disease. Why It Matters Health authorities, researchers, and global health leaders have warned that continued decreases in childhood vaccinations could reverse decades of progress in controlling these illnesses, resulting in higher rates of infection, hospitalizations, and preventable deaths. According to the CDC, small declines in coverage have already contributed to localized outbreaks, while modeling studies predict far greater spread if the trend continues. One year-old River Jacobs is held by his mother, Caitlin Fuller, while he receives an MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025,... One year-old River Jacobs is held by his mother, Caitlin Fuller, while he receives an MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1, 2025, in Lubbock, Texas. MoreWhat To Know The falling immunization rates are already making an impact on U.S. public health, doctors say. In Philadelphia, an uptick in hand, foot, and mouth disease cases closed a local pool and sent numerous children to urgent care. "Each of our centers across the Philadelphia and surrounding county area are seeing multiple cases," Dr. Bob Czincila, medical director of Vybe urgent care, told CBS News, noting that transmission is especially prevalent in day care settings and summer camps. Hand, foot and mouth disease is a viral infection that can be painful, often making it difficult for young children to eat and drink and increasing the risk of dehydration. There is no specific treatment other than symptom relief. South Carolina's Department of Public Health also recently reported a 124 percent increase in whooping cough cases over the past year, with 551 cases confirmed, many among children in child care centers and schools. Health officials advised antibiotics as the primary treatment and emphasized that vaccination remains the best means of prevention. Meanwhile, measles, long declared eliminated in the United States, has seen a resurgence is cases. Texas experienced over 750 cases since January, resulting in at least two deaths. These outbreaks have primarily originated in communities with low vaccination rates. JAMA modeling studies and CDC data show regional drops in childhood immunizations; for example, kindergarten coverage for measles, polio, whooping cough, and chickenpox fell from 95 percent before the pandemic to below 93 percent afterward, with some states experiencing much larger declines. Epidemiologists warn that drops in vaccination not only increase individual infection risk, but also threaten herd immunity, leaving newborns, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly particularly vulnerable. "It is not so common in patients over the age of 20, but there are increasing outbreaks. I attribute this to declining vaccination coverage due to misinformation, increased global travel and less healthy lifestyles overall including poor diet," board-certified internist Dr. Amanda Kahn told Newsweek. CDC experts note that disparities in vaccination persist, with lower coverage reported among children from racial and ethnic minorities, economically disadvantaged households, and rural areas. What People Are Saying Board-certified internist Dr. Amanda Kahn told Newsweek: "I am now checking all adult patients for measles immunity given that measles cases are on the rise. Measles is something we typically see in unvaccinated children or infants who are too young to be vaccinated, however I do see waning immunity in adults who were previously vaccinated, and now recommend a booster." Dr. Bob Czincila, medical director of Vybe urgent care, told CBS Philadelphia, regarding the spread of hand, foot, and mouth disease: "Kids are coming in with rashes that are on their fingers, on their hands, they can be on their toes and feet, and then you have oral ulcerations. It makes it difficult for children, especially younger ones, to eat because of how painful and how much they burn... It's primarily in children, but certainly, we have adults that have younger children that may contract it from them, that come in as well too." Mathew Kiang, ScD, assistant professor of epidemiology and population health at Stanford Medicine, said in an earlier report: "If vaccination were to fall by even 10 percent today, measles cases would skyrocket to 11.1 million over the next 25 years. If vaccination rates were cut in half, we'd expect 51.2 million cases of measles, 9.9 million cases of rubella, 4.3 million cases of polio and 200 cases of diphtheria over 25 years." What Happens Next Public health experts have emphasized that maintaining or increasing vaccination rates is critical for preventing further disease resurgence. Modeling studies indicate that even a small increase, around 5 percent, in vaccine coverage could dramatically reduce future outbreaks and bring disease levels back toward elimination thresholds. Meanwhile, continued decline could permanently reestablish diseases such as measles, rubella, and polio in the U.S. The CDC and health providers recommend that parents consult with pediatricians to ensure all children are up-to-date on vaccinations.
Axios
04-08-2025
- Axios
Colorado kindergartners' vaccine rates lag in 2025
Vaccination rates among Colorado kindergartners stayed stubbornly low during the 2024-2025 school year, new CDC data shows. Why it matters: The stagnation comes as U.S. measles cases reach a 33-year high, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. challenges long-standing vaccine norms ahead of the start of school. By the numbers: 4.2% of Colorado kindergartners were exempt from one or more vaccines — unchanged from last year and above the national average of 3.6%. Colorado's goal for herd immunity is 95% coverage for core vaccines like MMR, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Last school year, Colorado kindergartners' MMR coverage was 88%, Polio was 87.6% and DTaP was 87.4%. Only Hepatitis B topped 90%.
