A rise in measles cases in the United States has prompted an emergency alert from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The center reported that 23 new cases were confirmed from Dec. 1 through Jan. 23 and noted that most were among unvaccinated children and adolescents. The cases have occurred in several states and have not been concentrated in one area.
Dr. Stephen Cook, a pediatrician at UR Medicine’s Golisano Children’s Hospital, said during his approximately 20 years as a physician he has never treated a patient with measles. He believes this has to do with Monroe County’s high vaccination rates, which he says surpasses many places in the country.
“Rochester is one of only a couple places in the state of New York that actually tracks some of these viruses and report that to the CDC,” Cook said. “That history really lends itself to our students, residents, and pediatricians being very aware and doing everything possible to always make sure people are up to date.”
Monroe County has yet to report any new cases of the measles, but Cook is still encouraging vaccination. He said herd immunity is vital for protecting the population from measles and other diseases such as polio.
“We've done such a good job with vaccinating and making it almost unheard of in the U.S. that it's outbreaks in countries, without good public health and health care systems, that it pops up.”
The CDC reported that a few of the cases identified in the U.S. were from individuals who traveled internationally. Cook said despite the country’s vaccination efforts —vaccine hesitancy is still a problem.
“Some people still are concerned about going to the doctors and what (vaccines are) actually needed,” he said. “We see some families are behind and we're taking steps to get them back.”
Cook encouraged parents to connect with their child’s pediatrician to ensure that their vaccines are up to date.
