Latest news with #UtahCountyHealthDepartment
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
2 new measles cases confirmed in Cass County; 1 hospitalized
A nurse gives an MMR vaccine at the Utah County Health Department on April 29, 2019, in Provo, Utah. The vaccine is 97% effective against measles when two doses are administered. (Photo by) Two new measles cases were confirmed in Cass County on Sunday, bringing North Dakota's total cases to 11 since May 2, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. The department reported both people were unvaccinated and one was hospitalized as a result of the disease. Both people are believed to have contracted measles from international travel. Two Essentia Health clinics in the Fargo area were exposed to the disease and public health officials said unvaccinated individuals present at those facilities should quarantine themselves for 21 days to monitor for symptoms. The two clinics exposed were: Essentia Health – The Lights West Fargo Clinic from 2:30 to 6 p.m., May 7. The entrance to the clinic is shared with Bar Down Sports Bar and Restaurant. Essentia Health Walk-in Care Clinic from 5:30 to 8 p.m., May 9. Some schools cancel band trip to Williston because of measles cases; parade to go on Last week, public health officials reported three schools in Williston were exposed to measles that resulted in about 150 unvaccinated students isolating at home to monitor for symptoms. Nine measles cases have been confirmed in Williams County since May 2. The health department recommends children between 12-15 months old should receive their first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and a second dose between 4-6 years of age. 'People who are vaccinated and exposed to measles are not likely to develop the disease,' said Molly Howell, immunization director for HHS. 'MMR vaccination is critical to preventing the spread of measles in the community. Anyone who is eligible and has not yet been vaccinated is encouraged to contact a trusted health care provider about MMR vaccination.' Howell said the MMR vaccine is 93% effective after one dose and 97% effective after a second dose. Adults born before 1957 are generally presumed immune due to natural exposure, the department said. Immunization records for North Dakota residents can be reviewed through the HHS website or by contacting a health care provider. Measles symptoms can develop up to 21 days after exposure. The symptoms are: Fever Cough Runny nose Eye irritation Body-wide rash The measles virus is spread through the air and people remain contagious for several days before and after the first symptoms appear, the department said. They added there is no specific medical treatment for measles, but antibiotics may be used in cases resulting in a secondary bacterial infection. The risk of measles to the general public is low due to a majority of North Dakotans being immunized against the disease. Vaccines are available through most clinics. For families in need, the federally funded Vaccines for Children Program offers support through local providers. For information about measles, vaccination, or local clinic availability, contact the HHS Immunization Unit at 701-328-2378 or 711 (TTY), or visit For more information about measles or immunizations, contact the HHS Immunization Unit at 701-328-2378, 711 (TTY) or visit: SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
North Dakota confirms first measles case since 2011
A nurse gives an MMR vaccine at the Utah County Health Department on April 29, 2019, in Provo, Utah. The vaccine is 97% effective against measles when two doses are administered. (Photo by) The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the state's first measles case since 2011. A Williams County child who was not vaccinated is believed to have contracted the illness from an out-of-state visitor, the department said Friday. The child is in isolation at home. Health officials are contacting people who may have had contact with the child and advising people who are not vaccinated to quarantine. The threat to the public is low due to a majority of North Dakotans being vaccinated against the disease, according to the department. Molly Howell, immunization director for HHS, said vaccination is the most effective defense against contracting measles. 'Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination is safer than risking measles illness,' Howell said. 'The MMR vaccine has been safely used in the United States since 1973.' Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, eye irritation followed by a body-wide rash. 'Anyone with symptoms consistent with measles should call ahead before visiting a clinic to avoid exposing others,' she said. The department said there is no specific medical treatment for measles, but antibiotics may be used in cases that have developed a secondary bacterial infection. People who were vaccinated as children and adults born before 1957 are considered protected. The department said two doses of the MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing infection. The vaccine is recommended for children at 12-15 months and a booster between 4-6 years old. The department also recommends that families and individuals consult with their health care provider to discuss immunizations. North Dakota has an 81% MMR vaccination rate among toddlers, and a 90% rate among kindergarten students for the 2024-2025 school year. According to public health data, a 95% vaccination rate is generally needed to prevent wider spread in communities. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
As a measles outbreak creeps toward Kansas City, public health leaders urge vaccination
A nurse gives an MMR vaccine at the Utah County Health Department on April 29, 2019, in Provo, Utah. The vaccine is 97% effective against measles when two doses are administered (). Amber Schmidtke, a microbiologist, remembers feeling a tinge of relief five years ago as COVID spread across communities. At least it wasn't measles. 'Measles is the most contagious disease we have,' said Schmidtke, who teaches at Kansas City University. But now, she and other public health experts are watching with alarm as the largely preventable virus marches toward Kansas City in the nation's largest outbreak since 2019. So far this year, health officials have confirmed 884 cases across the country, including 46 in southwest Kansas. One Missouri case reported on April 18 involved a child visiting the Branson area. Marvia Jones, director of the Kansas City Health Department, said her agency will be as prepared as possible when cases reach the metro. But there's little doubt about whether they will come. 'It's clear to us that measles is just a car ride away from Kansas Citians,' Jones said at an April 29 press conference that was called to urge people to get vaccinated before the virus gets here. But rising vaccine skepticism, falling immunization rates and recent major cuts to federal public health funding are all working against efforts to quickly end the current measles outbreak, health officials said. 'This makes me heartsick,' said Lynelle Phillips, president of the Missouri Immunization Coalition. 'I think more children will be struck down and killed by a completely preventable outbreak of measles. And I think the question to us as Americans is how many of these children will have to die before we realize the mistake we've made?' Three deaths have been attributed to the outbreak so far, including two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico. Unlike the start of COVID when there was no vaccine, a highly effective measles vaccine is widely available. Until recently it was also widely adopted. By 2000, 37 years after the measles vaccine was introduced, United States health officials could declare measles eliminated because there hadn't been continuous spread for more than a year. Now, that designation is in danger as measles cases spread. So far, the outbreak has reached 30 states. The largest cluster is in Texas, where 663 cases have been confirmed since late January. The rise in measles infections, health leaders said, can be directly linked to low vaccination rates. Herd immunity for measles, when the virus is unlikely to spread, requires a vaccination rate of 95%. But communities and schools are increasingly slipping below that mark. And where that happens, an outbreak becomes much more likely. In Kansas City, three ZIP codes fall below the 95% threshold, city health officials said. 64114 in the Waldo area has an immunization rate of 93%. 64151, where Lake Waukomis is located north of the river, is at 92%. And 64155, where the upscale Staley Farms development is located, has a vaccination rate of only 84%. Jones said these undervaccinated ZIP codes will get special attention as the city works to convince more people to let their kids get vaccines. The health department plans to hold community meetings in these areas in hopes of answering questions and easing hesitancy. 'We are doing all we can to add outreach and have real conversations,' Jones said. The health department also will extend the hours it offers vaccinations. Beginning May 14, vaccines will be available at 2400 Troost Ave. until 7 p.m., and Saturday hours will begin May 17. For an appointment, people can call 311, but appointments are not required. Parents, faced with an internet awash in inaccurate information about vaccinations in general and the measles vaccine specifically, are more often skipping routine childhood immunizations. Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine are recommended for children. The first dose is recommended at about 1 year old, and a second dose when a child starts school, between 4 and 6 years old. During the 2023-24 school year, immunization rates for kindergartners fell to 92.7% nationwide, from 95.2% during the 2019-20 school year. In Missouri, the rate went from 94.6% in 2019-20 to 90.4% in 2023-24. In those same years, Kansas' rate climbed slightly, from 90% to 90.4%. Six metro counties showed MMR vaccination rates below 95% for kindergartners in the 2023-24 school year. Schools require children to have the MMR and other vaccinations in order to attend kindergarten, but states allow exemptions for religious or medical reasons. And those exemptions have been on the rise. The Staley Farms ZIP code's religious exemption rate doubled to 14% last year from 7% in 2019, city officials said. According to state records, private schools in Clay County, where the ZIP code is located, had a religious exemption rate of 13.4% in 2023, compared with 5.4% in 2019. In Kansas, the statewide exemption rate was just over 1% in the 2010-11 school year. But by the 2023-24 year, it was up to almost 3%. And Missouri's statewide rate is getting close to 5%, said Dr. George Turabelidze, Missouri's state epidemiologist. Phillips said the increase can also be traced to a change in Missouri law that took effect at the beginning of 2024, lowering barriers for parents to get vaccine exemptions for their children. It's now as simple as filling out a form online and submitting it to the school. 'Prior to that, you would have to make an appointment at the health department and meet with a public health nurse,' Phillips said. Parents who oppose vaccines objected to the state's previous exemption requirements, saying they violated their speech and religious rights. But Phillips said the added step of going to the health department gave parents an opportunity to learn about the health consequences of choosing to forgo their child's vaccinations. And they also found out that children who are unvaccinated have to miss weeks of school if they are exposed — even if they don't get sick. Public health officials understand that a growing number of people are afraid of having their kids vaccinated. In part, they blame strong anti-vaccination views that took root during the COVID pandemic related to the vaccines developed to treat that virus. 'That (skepticism) spills over to other vaccines as well,' Turabelidze said. In addition to fueling anti-vaccine views, the pandemic also led to more distrust of public health agencies, which became the face of shuttered schools and businesses and other restrictions that some people abhorred. That distrust has made it even harder to get accurate information to people who may be worried about unfounded claims about vaccines that flourish on the internet. One of the most persistent myths — that the MMR vaccine is linked to autism — has been especially common, Turabelidze said. 'It's been debunked so many times, I can't even count,' he said. 'But people keep repeating this myth.' Now, many fear that the vaccine doubts have been given more credibility with the appointment of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services. As Missouri's immunization rates have slipped, Turabelidze said the state Department of Health and Senior Services has been working to increase outreach and education efforts, especially to schools or communities with lower vaccination rates. Those communities are sitting ducks for such a highly contagious virus, health experts said. Nine out of 10 unvaccinated people exposed to measles will get sick. And the virus can infect people who don't even come into contact with someone who has it. Measles spreads when people talk, cough or sneeze, but can linger in the air for three hours. 'If I had a person in my class that had measles and didn't know it and they left, everyone who enters that classroom for the next several hours could get it,' Phillips said. 'It's really difficult to manage transmission when you realize just how infectious measles is.' And the measles virus can be dangerous. One in five people who get the virus end up in the hospital, Dr. Susanne Luedtke, an infectious disease specialist at University Health, told reporters during the April 29 press conference hosted by the Kansas City Health Department. One in 20 children contract pneumonia with measles. The disease can cause brain swelling and serious long-term side effects like seizures, hearing loss and a condition called immune amnesia, which can destroy a child's immune response. And between one and three of every 1,000 children who get measles will die. 'Measles is not a rash and a fever,' Luedtke said. 'It's a serious disease with real risks.' Before the measles vaccine came along in 1963, almost everyone came down with measles before they turned 15. The telltale rash would begin at the hairline and move down the torso and out to the extremities. A high fever developed, along with symptoms like a runny nose and cough. Of course, most people recovered as they would from the flu or another viral infection. But before the vaccine, every year an estimated 400 to 500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized and 1,000 developed encephalitis or brain swelling. 'This is not a disease you joke around with,' Turabelidze said. 'It's highly contagious. And it can put you in the hospital. We already have three persons dead in this country. And you can also have long-term consequences.' The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services operates a 24-hour helpline that doctors can call if they run into a potential case of measles. Turabelidze said calls have increased as doctors, many of whom have never run into a case of measles before, grow increasingly wary of unidentifiable rashes. 'More often it's not really measles,' he said. 'But we would rather have a consultation' than an undetected case. The state also has added capacity for the state laboratory to conduct PCR tests for measles. That service, which began in March, will reduce the time test results take, which could make a big difference in quelling an outbreak. 'We wanted to have a very, very quick response time because measles is so highly contagious,' Turabelidze said. When measles is detected, public health agencies play a crucial role in quickly locating anyone an infected person has been around. They also track down people who have shared an inside space where the infected person could have left behind the virus. Public health is critical in managing an outbreak. But for the system to work, experts said, the public needs to trust public health. And public health agencies need to be available to answer questions to assuage concerns, provide information to doctors and patients and offer easy access to the vaccine. 'Vaccines in the refrigerator never yet prevented a single case of infection,' said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of infectious disease at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. 'They have to be administered… This takes human beings and it takes time.' It also takes money. But recent federal funding cuts by the Trump administration have slashed support for public health outreach efforts. On March 24, the Missouri Immunization Coalition, Phillips' organization, lost all of its funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That money funded the group's entire budget, which means it is now 'on life support,' Phillips said. And like other public health organizations that had relied on those funds, the work the coalition had been doing — educating people about vaccines, providing transportation and other resources to improve access — is hanging by a thread. 'Vaccination rates are not going to raise themselves,' Phillips said. 'The organizations involved with all of the education and logistics and support … have been dismantled. At a time when we're witnessing a resurgence in measles, these are the ingredients of a perfect storm.' Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services lost a combined $255 million in the March 24 CDC cuts. That included $135 million in projects currently underway to support the state's public health system and about $119 million for projects that hadn't been determined. Turabelidze said it is unclear how the cuts will affect the state's vaccine efforts. The Kansas City Health Department has seen federal cuts so far of about $3 million, money that was allocated to pay for adult vaccinations and outreach, enhanced laboratory capacity and community health workers. On April 25, the city announced it had joined a coalition of other local governments and a labor union representing government workers in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funding cuts. In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said, 'It's important that we as cities and people stand up for common sense and public health in the courts.' It's also worth remembering, Schmidtke said, that eliminating outreach programs may save money in the short term. But if measles cases increase as a result, the ultimate cost will be much more. While each MMR vaccine dose costs around $2, she said, managing a case of someone who contracts measles can cost $50,000. 'I know money isn't everything,' Schmidtke said. 'But when we don't have enough money to get the outreach, to educate the public about the importance of vaccination, to educate them about where to find it, we run the risk of really expensive outbreaks that are hard to control.' This article first appeared on Beacon: Kansas City and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
House committee OKs bill allowing religious vaccine exemptions without stated reasons
A nurse gives an MMR vaccine at the Utah County Health Department on April 29, 2019, in Provo, Utah. The vaccine is 97% effective against measles when two doses are administered. (Photo by) An Alabama House committee Wednesday passed a bill that would allow parents or guardians of children in K-12 schools to claim religious exemptions from vaccinations without providing reasons. SB 85, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would also require public institutions of higher education to offer both religious and medical exemptions to vaccine or testing requirements. 'The [current] process is cumbersome. Some feel like it's harassment,' claimed Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, who is handling the bill in the House. 'You have to go to the Department of Education, watch a video and sign some stuff, and some parents have really felt harassed by that for their religious liberties and parental rights.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Alabama's measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination rate among kindergartners was just under 93.8% in the 2023-2024 school year, a decrease from the 95% rate in the 2021-2022 school year, which is considered herd immunity. Apriell Hartsfield, Kids Count director for VOICES for Alabama Children, said immunosuppressed children and infants too young for vaccinations could face consequences if more people choose to skip vaccinations. She said that the current system allows for effective monitoring of exemptions and rapid response to potential outbreaks of contagious diseases. 'This bill, by throwing out a system that works in favor of one that is random and unsystematic, will prevent health officials from being prepared to respond rapidly to outbreaks, and with highly contagious diseases that can spread rapidly, such as measles … time is of the essence, and systems that allow rapid response benefit the public's health,' Hartsfield said during the hearing. Hartsfield said after the meeting that measles outbreaks are particularly dangerous, saying that children don't receive the MMR vaccine until about 18 months of age, making day care centers particularly vulnerable, which could have a negative impact on the economy. She said that if day care centers have to close temporarily, as they did during the height of the COVID pandemic, parents may not be able to get to work. 'What are these parents going to do who are relying on childcare to be able to work and provide for their families? What are these businesses going to do who are relying on their workers to come in and do their job? It's just going to put everybody in a really bad position,' Hartsfield said. One person spoke in favor of the bill. Ted Halley, a Prattville resident who spoke Tuesday in favor of banning drag performances in libraries and public schools, said that vaccines should 'not [be] forced on down our throats.' 'As you know, there's two sides of every coin. Some people love the COVID vaccine. Some people like me hate it,' Halley said, pointing to unfounded claims of adverse effects from the vaccine. Halley also spoke Wednesday in favor of a bill extending the state's 'Don't Say Gay' ban in public schools. Rep. Frances Holk-Jones, R-Foley, asked about the bill's language, specifically the term 'testing,' and asked for clarification on whether it referred to school tests or medical tests. 'Your bill is not specific. It just strictly says all testing,' Holk-Jones said. Butler said that is something they can fix. Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, also expressed concern about the religious basis of the exemption, saying that he couldn't find any religious denomination that explicitly forbids vaccines. 'So, I'm just wondering, why don't we just call this what it is, which is a personal exemption, instead of trying to call it a religious exemption?' Rafferty asked, but Butler maintained it is a religious exemption. The bill passed the committee on a voice vote and moves to the House floor for further consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Poll: Belief in false measles claims correlated with lower vaccination rates
A nurse gives an MMR vaccine at the Utah County Health Department on April 29, 2019, in Provo, Utah. The vaccine is 97% effective against measles when two doses are administered. (Photo by) WASHINGTON — Americans are increasingly unsure what to believe about measles as an outbreak spreads throughout the country, according to a survey released Wednesday by the nonpartisan health research organization KFF. The poll shows that nearly a quarter of those asked believe a commonly repeated false claim that getting a child vaccinated against measles could lead to autism. About the same percentage of those surveyed believe it's either definitely or probably true that vitamin A can prevent someone from contracting measles, even though it cannot. And 19% of those surveyed believed untrue statements that the vaccine for measles is more dangerous than contracting the virus. Parents who believed at least one of the three incorrect claims were more likely to have delayed or skipped some vaccinations for their children. Nearly a quarter, 24%, of those surveyed said they haven't protected their children via vaccination, more than double the 11% of parents who responded that all three of the false statements about measles were definitely or probably untrue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as of late last week there are more than 800 measles diagnoses throughout at least 25 states. The infections are spread throughout different age groups with 31% of cases in children under five years old, 38% of diagnoses in those between five and 19 years old, 29% in people above the age of 20 and 2% in those with an unknown age, according to the CDC. Eighty-five patients have been hospitalized and three have died. Nearly all of the confirmed cases, 96%, are in people who have not received the MMR vaccine or who are unsure about their vaccination status, according to the CDC. States with confirmed cases include Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington. Virginia reported its first case this year over the weekend, though that's not yet included on the CDC's website about the ongoing outbreak. KFF's survey shows that even though there are many people who believe untrue claims about measles or the MMR vaccine — which protects against measles, mumps and rubella — there are higher percentages of people who understand basic facts about the virus and who are concerned about the ongoing outbreak. Seventy-five percent of those polled said it was incorrect that the MMR vaccine leads to autism, 81% responded it was wrong to say the vaccine is more dangerous than contracting the virus and 75% said it was false that vitamin A can prevent someone from getting measles. About half, or 51%, of those surveyed said they are at least somewhat concerned about the spread of measles. That worry was highest among Hispanic adults, 62%, and Black adults, 61%. Most of the people surveyed, 56%, knew that the spread of measles was higher this year than during prior years, though that number varied among people of different political leanings. Seventy-one percent of Democrats knew that diagnoses of measles have spiked in recent months, compared with 54% of independents and 49% of Republicans. KFF conducted the survey of 1,380 adults between April 8 and April 15 via telephone and online questions. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@
