US health officials urge all international travellers to get measles vaccinations amid outbreaks
Health officials in the United States have changed their advice to international travellers about measles, saying people should be vaccinated against the virus no matter where they're going.
US residents are recommended to get measles-mumps-rubella shots, anyway. But the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) previously emphasised the importance of vaccination for travellers going to countries with outbreaks.
Last week, the CDC updated its guidance to call for vaccinations for travellers going to all other countries.
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Ashley Darcy-Mahoney, a researcher at George Washington University's nursing school in the US, called the update significant.
A Colorado outbreak last month stemmed from an international flight that landed in Denver, she noted. The CDC travel notice change reflects a recognition that people are not just being exposed to measles in countries where it's spreading, but also in airplanes and during travel, she added.
"We're seeing a shift from localised outbreaks to transmission in transit," and the CDC seems to be responding to that, Darcy-Mahoney said.
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In line with recommendations in the European Union, the CDC's travel notice advises two doses for all Americans ages 1 and older, and an early dose for travelling infants ages 6 months to 11 months.
Meanwhile, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommends that travellers ensure they are up-to-date on their vaccinations before going abroad.
So far this year, the US has seen more than 1,000 measles cases, and the EU has reported more than 5,500 cases.
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