Experts stress the importance of measles vaccine as cases surge nationwide
UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) – It is one of the most contagious viruses in the world.
Measles is more contagious than Covid.
And now there are more than 300 cases nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
More Local News
With three confirmed measles cases in New York and another three in New Jersey, experts are emphasizing the importance of the measles vaccine, but if you got it years and decades ago, are you still immune?
'You have to look at their blood to see if they need a booster,' Dr. Len Horovitz, a Lenox Hill Hospital Pulmonologist, told PIX11 News.
Dr. Horovitz says that since the measles vaccine is 93% to 97% effective, about one in 20 people need a booster.
In addition, if you got the vaccine before 1989, you may also need a booster.
'Anyone who doesn't know their vaccination status or if they got the vaccine before 1989, they should get a blood test,' Horovitz told PIX11 News. 'Between 1963 and 1968, it was a single dose, and now It's worth looking into a blood test,' He added.
So far this year, there are more than 300 confirmed cases of measles in states across the country, including New York and New Jersey, according to the CDC.
That's more than all the US documented cases in 2024.
And what has infectious disease epidemiologists most worried about is vaccine hesitancy and the current mixed messaging.
'We've seen decreasing rates for vaccinations throughout the country, particularly in certain areas where there's a lot of vaccination hesitancy,' Dr. Anne Rimoin, infectious disease epidemiologist, told PIX11 News.
'So this is a very important moment of an infectious pathogen with vaccination rates that are not optimal, and it could lead this virus with a lot of room to spread,' she added.
According to New York City health department officials, healthcare workers, students, and international travelers need to strengthen their immunity.
The bottom line is to ask your healthcare provider for a simple blood test to determine whether you still have immunity from measles.
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