The CT Department of Public Health announced Friday that a case of measles has been reported in a child in Fairfield County.
DPH officials said the child had not yet been vaccinated against measles.
Officials warn that measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread rapidly among people who have not been vaccinated. However, DPH said that the majority of people who have been exposed to the virus are not at risk because they have been vaccinated in the past or had measles before the vaccination became routine.
One dose of the measles vaccine is approximately 93% effective in preventing the virus from being exposed, and two doses are approximately 97% effective.
DPH officials said two doses of the vaccine Measles, Pumpkin, Rubella (MMR) are needed to attend schools and colleges in Connecticut. However, students with medical or religious exemptions may go to school without being vaccinated.
Adults should have at least one dose of measles vaccination. Certain groups require two doses of MMR, including: university students, health care workers, international travelers and people at high risk for measles complications, officials said.
Adults born in the United States before 1957 are considered immune to the virus of the past exposure, but in situations where exposure to measles is likely, these adults may benefit from a dose of MMR vaccine to be safer, DPH said.
Measles symptoms usually begin seven to 14 days after exposure. If infected, a typical case will start with mild to moderate fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and sore throat. Three to five days after the onset of these symptoms, a reddish or reddish-brown rash appears, which usually starts on a person’s face at the hairline and spreads downwards all over the body. By the time the rash appears, the person’s fever could rise to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to officials.
The rash usually lasts at least a few days and then disappears in the same order. People with measles can be contagious up to four days before the rash appears and for four days after the rash appears.
“The best way to protect yourself and your children from measles is to be vaccinated,” said DPD’s acting commissioner, Dr. Deidre Gifford, said. ‘While the COVID-19 pandemic was taking place, some children were left behind on their vaccinations. The case of measles is an important reminder that this vaccination that can be prevented by the vaccine is a threat and that we must protect our children by vaccinating in time. ‘
Exposed individuals who are not vaccinated against measles are advised to stay out of school or other high-risk settings for a full 21 days after their last known exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC recommends that all children receive two doses of MMR vaccine, with the first dose at the age of 12 to 15 months and the second dose at the age of four to six years.
DPH said they are working with local partners to identify contacts and put in place appropriate controls.