Public health experts raise the alarm in South Florida over a measles outbreak
Florida is counting more cases of measles as the state's surgeon general defies federal guidelines and declines to urge people to vaccinate their children.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Public health experts are raising the alarm over a measles outbreak in South Florida that started at an elementary school and is continuing to spread. While school staff and doctors respond to a growing number of cases, critics say the state's surgeon general is saying things that puts students at risk of the highly contagious illness that was actually considered eradicated two decades ago. Reporter Kate Payne is with member station WLRN and is with us now to tell us more about all this. Good morning.
KATE PAYNE, BYLINE: Good morning.
MARTIN: So, Kate, you were telling me earlier that the CDC considered measles eradicated in 2000. So how did this get out of hand?
PAYNE: That's right. So this outbreak began earlier this month at a school in suburban Broward County, about 20 miles west of Fort Lauderdale. So far, there have been a total of nine confirmed cases of measles in Florida with this outbreak, six are all at that one school, Manatee Bay Elementary in the city of Weston. We also now have a confirmed case in Central Florida in Polk County. And one of these cases is a child who's under the age of 5. That's especially concerning because, according to the CDC, children younger than 5 are more likely to suffer from complications.
MARTIN: And public health experts have been criticizing Florida's surgeon general for not following standard CDC guidance on measles outbreaks. So what is it that he's saying that is causing this concern?
PAYNE: So Joseph Ladapo is Florida's top health official, the surgeon general. He was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis. And he has consistently undermined vaccination efforts, including the COVID vaccine. And Ladapo told Broward County parents that it's their call whether to send their kids back to the school where the outbreak started, regardless of their vaccination status. He also did not direct parents to get their kids vaccinated, and that goes against the standard practices set by the CDC, which says that unvaccinated kids must stay home for three weeks after they've been exposed in order to keep them safe. Rana Alissa is with the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and she says she was alarmed by the surgeon general's guidance.
RANA ALISSA: It's very disappointing to realize that our surgeon general is basically misleading the parents. It should not be left to parents' choice. It should be the recommendation actually not to let your child go to school if they are unvaccinated.
MARTIN: So remind people who may not be familiar with this. Why are health experts worried?
PAYNE: So measles is a serious disease that can be life-threatening. It's incredibly easy to spread and can lead to serious complications. One in 1,000 cases develop encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain. That can leave the child deaf or with an intellectual disability. And about 1-3 out of every 1,000 cases are fatal.
MARTIN: So, Kate, before we let you go, how many people in this South Florida community have had their shots?
PAYNE: So as far as students, the most recent state data shows that 92% of kindergartners in Broward County are vaccinated. It's about the same statewide. And that's less than the 95% that the CDC says is needed to have herd immunity to prevent outbreaks like this one. Florida law does require students to get the vaccine against measles and a number of other shots before they enroll in school, but parents can opt out for religious or medical reasons. And we've seen vaccine uptake rates slip in recent years, not just in Florida.
MARTIN: OK, that is WLRN reporter Kate Payne. Kate, thank you.
PAYNE: Thank you.
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FAQs
Responding to outbreaks
The spread of the disease can be limited with early case identification; and early public health response including vaccination and quarantine of susceptible contacts without presumptive evidence of immunity. Laboratory confirmation is essential for all measles outbreaks.
What is causing the measles outbreak? ›
An outbreak means more disease is occurring than expected
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known. Measles outbreaks occur in areas where people are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated (missing one or both doses of the measles vaccine).
What is the best action to prevent spread of measles during an outbreak? ›
Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people. The vaccine is safe and helps your body fight off the virus.
How did the measles outbreak start in Florida? ›
Editorial Note. Editorial Note: This outbreak resulted from an imported measles case in a U.S. citizen who transmitted infection to seven other students in a junior high school.
How do you respond to a measles outbreak? ›
Enhance social mobilization activities to inform the affected communities about the suspected outbreak, which specific age group of previously unvaccinated children is targeted for measles vaccination, and where parents should bring their at-risk children for vaccination.
What is the outbreak response in public health? ›
When cases of an infectious disease are diagnosed in a specific area, an Outbreak Response is triggered to stop the spread of an infectious disease swiftly, keeping as few people as possible from being infected.
Why are measles cases rising right now? ›
Encourage MMR vaccination
After years of declining vaccination rates, measles cases are popping up around the country. And most of the measles cases have been in young children and adolescents who were eligible but didn't receive the MMR vaccine.
What is the cause of the measles outbreak in 2024? ›
March 14, 2024 – Just over 2 months into 2024, measles cases in the United States aren't looking great. The recent rise in cases across the U.S. is linked to unvaccinated travelers, lower than ideal vaccination rates, and misinformation, experts said.
What states are having measles outbreaks? ›
As of August 22, 2024 a total of 227 measles cases were reported by 29 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, Ohio, ...
What is the best defense against measles? ›
The best way to protect against measles is with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR is safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective.
Measles elimination is possible by reaching every child with 2 doses of measles vaccine. CDC works with partners to implement the Measles & Rubella Strategic Framework, a global strategy to reach every child with 2 doses of vaccine.
How can I protect myself from measles? ›
Protecting yourself
The best protection against measles is the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. The vaccine provides long-lasting protection against all strains of measles. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles. One dose is about 93% effective.
Where is measles in FL? ›
There has been measles activity in at least three Florida counties — Broward, Polk, and Orange — in the past month.
Can a vaccinated person spread measles? ›
Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine are about 97% effective at protecting against measles. On the rare occasions that fully vaccinated people get the measles, they usually have a milder illness and are less likely to spread it to other people.
What school in Florida has the measles outbreak? ›
Seven measles cases are linked to Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston, Florida. Two additional cases have been reported Broward County in children younger than four. Seven measles cases have now been linked to an outbreak at Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston, Florida, the Broward County schools superintendent said Tuesday.
Which strategies used by public health to reduce the incidence of measles? ›
Because measles is highly communicable to those who are susceptible to infection, preventive measures are key to controlling the spread of infection. Preventive measures include isolation of suspected or confirmed cases and the use of live, measles-containing vaccines.
How can public health respond to infectious disease? ›
Effective infectious disease control and response efforts include prevention components, such as routine and outbreak response, vaccination programs, and educational programs to encourage changes in unhealthy human behaviors and public acceptance of prevention strategies.
What is the measles outbreak strategic response plan? ›
A Measles Outbreak Strategic Response Plan (MOSRP) will support achievement of the MRSF 2021–2030 strategic priorities. The primary goal of the MOSRP is to help countries prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from measles outbreaks, with support from WHO and other partners.
Why would it be important to have public health notification of certain diseases like measles? ›
Prompt recognition, reporting, and investigation of measles are important because the spread of the disease can be limited with early case identification and vaccination of susceptible contacts.
