PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — City health officials have warned travelers that an individual with measles recently visited Philadelphia International Airport.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health reported a possible measles exposure in Terminals A and B on Sunday between 8:50 a.m. and 4 p.m., because an individual with measles was traveling through the airport.
Officials have advised anyone who was in the airport during that timeframe to check their vaccination status and monitor symptoms like fever, runny nose, cough, and red, puffy eyes followed by rash. The health department said measles is contagious between four days before rash sets in and four days after.
KYW Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough said getting the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine is crucial if you’re faced with a situation like this.
“If you’ve had the vaccine, the odds are quite good that even if you were exposed you wouldn’t have anything as severe as somebody who had no protection,” said McDonough.
Health Department spokesman James Garrow said while people who are immunized need not worry, “for folks who either don’t know if they are immune, or know that they’re not, and they were in that location during those times, they should reach out to their health care provider and let them know. And then they should quarantine for 21 days.”
Exposure to measles could be especially dangerous for infants under 12 months old, people who are pregnant and not immune, and people with a weakened immune system. Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact their doctor.
According to the department, many countries, including travel destinations, are experiencing measles outbreaks. Canada just lost its status as “measles-free” thanks to sustained outbreaks over the past year. McDonough said America risks the same fate due to slipping vaccination rates.
“Once you get below 95% of a community being vaccinated, you lose what’s called herd immunity,” he said. “Measles can get into the community and once it does, it’s aggressive.”