Measles has been making an unwelcome comeback of late. So far, there's been 935 confirmed cases in 30 states, which is already 3x the number of cases reported all of last year.
Fortunately, only 2 of those cases are in Louisiana thus far. With Texas outbreak numbers remaining alarming, so far, travelers from the West haven’t spread contagion to this region just yet. But, preparation remains key, and health experts warn that being current on all vaccinations is crucial in that fight.
Historically, countries with low vaccination rates have been at a higher travel risk. According to Dr. Jennifer Avegno, Director of the New Orleans Health Department, the United States is quickly becoming one of those countries. “The last two measles cases that were reported in Louisiana were from two different countries of origin.
We know certain countries have historically low vaccination rates, and we expect travelers from those areas to be at higher risk. But the United States is quickly becoming one of those countries. We essentially declared measles eliminated in the year 2000, and the fact that we are so far back from that now is really disturbing,” she emphasized.
When it comes to this outbreak and future outbreaks, Avegno says having dependable information is key. She also empathizes with parents who have their children's developmental concerns in mind. “I understand that parents are juggling a lot of information resources these days. But, there is zero evidence that autism has any link to these vaccines,“ she stresses.
While children are required to be vaccinated to attend schools in the state, Louisiana has some very generous exemptions when it comes to vaccinations, and that can be worrisome to health experts. That’s especially true when outbreaks such as this become prevalent.
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