01-05-2025
Chicago public health officials stress importance of vaccines after 2 cases confirmed in Cook County
Doctors in the Chicago area are keeping a close eye on measles cases, checking to make sure more aren't reported, after the first two cases of the year were confirmed this week in Cook County.
One local agency is stepping up their efforts in the fight against the potentially deadly disease. The Chicago Department of Public Health is increasing the use of public health nurse educators who go to Head Start programs and daycare centers in the city to educate parents and staff about the importance of the measles vaccination.
Dr. Alexander Sloboda, medical director of immunizations at CDPH, said the MMR vaccine is the key to stopping the spread of measles.
"With two doses of that vaccine, it's 97% effective in preventing a measles infection," he said.
Sloboda said his agency has been taking extra steps to spread the word about the importance of getting children vaccinated against this potentially deadly disease, after a measles outbreak that started in Texas has grown to 884 cases nationwide, including three in Illinois – one in Chicago, another in the Cook County suburbs, and a third in southern Illinois.
"We're trying to identify different groups that may have a bit more vaccine hesitancy or lower vaccination rates, and really specifically reach out to those groups and engage with those groups," Sloboda said.
The Chicago Department of Public Health is focusing on children in pre-K settings.
"That's daycare, childcare, early childhood education, because if they're 12 months old they should have at least one dose of MMR vaccine," he said.
Sloboda offered insight into why measles cases are on the rise not just nationwide, but around the world.
"Childhood vaccination rates have started to slightly decline, predominantly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.
CDPH has increased their efforts when it comes to educating parents and staff at childcare centers about the importance of measles vaccinations.
"Data shows that nine out of ten people that are unvaccinated that are exposed to measles virus will become infected, but thankfully we have the vaccine. So, if you're vaccinated properly, you should have very little to worry about, even if exposed," he said.
Chicago saw its own measles outbreak just last year, with 57 migrants, many of them unvaccinated, testing positive for measles in March and April 2024.
"We had a congregate setting; a shelter where a lot of people were living in a slightly under-vaccinated population, and so that's where measles can quickly spread if people are not fully vaccinated and have that 95% population protection," Sloboda said.
The highly contagious disease can also be deadly. Nationwide this year, two children and one adult have died from the disease.
"You can get lung infections, you can get brain infections from measles, which can lead to complications. So, even if a child survives a measles infection, they could have complications that last the rest of their life as well," Sloboda said.
If you've never been immunized against measles, getting the MMR vaccine before traveling is also very important.
"Usually it takes between two to three weeks for the vaccine to take full effect. You have the vaccine; your body analyzes the vaccine, and then starts building that immunity with the white blood cells, the antibodies; and then by two to three weeks you have that full protection from the vaccine," Sloboda said.
When it comes to full protection, Sloboda said the MMR vaccine offers a lifetime of protection against a person getting measles.
