DENVER — Amid cases of measles in surrounding states, a senior doctor with UCHealth told Denver7 it's a matter of time until Colorado sees its first case.
Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention and control for UC Health, said it is time for Coloradans to start paying attention to this reemerging threat.
"If you are unvaccinated, you are at higher risk of developing complications from measles if you're exposed. And there is still a good opportunity to get vaccinated if you have not received them in the past," said Barron.
There are some 300 reported cases of measles in 15 states, including New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas, which border Colorado.
Can adults get a measles shot if they don’t know their childhood vaccine status?
Most people in the U.S. were vaccinated as children, particularly if they attended public schools. However, there are cases when adults may need booster shots.
"If you have gotten two vaccines, then you are considered immune and you don't need to have any more. If you only got one vaccine — and there's a group of people between 1970 and about 1983-84 who probably only got one vaccine because that's what the standard was at the time — then you probably need a second vaccine," said Barron.
If you aren't sure if you were vaccinated as a child or whether you received two shots, Barron said there is a simple blood test your doctor can perform. She also added that a second shot will not harm, even if it turns out you didn't need it.
If you had measles as a child, you are immune. Your insurance should cover the cost of the MMR vaccine, which protects against three highly contagious viral diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.
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Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that can cause a fever, cough, runny nose, and a red rash. It can cause serious medical complications, including death, especially in young children and those with weakened immune systems.
Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000 but has crept back due to plummeting vaccination rates.
