Contact tracing ultimately identified at least 230 people exposed at our local hospital. The family unfortunately had traveled during the contagious window, subsequently exposing travelers in airports in Ohio and in Florida.
Health departments are doing commendable work, mitigating current outbreaks of a vaccine preventable disease once thought to be under control in the United States. Ohio is one of 16 states that has reported measles outbreaks in 2024. But a major part of the solution to measles is timely vaccination.
We all need to do our part. Routine vaccinations of children include an MMR vaccine at age 12 months, and a booster at age 4 years. But we need 95% of our citizens to be appropriately vaccinated against measles to have good control for those who are too young to be vaccinated or have health reasons that prevent the vaccination. Currently in Ohio, vaccine coverage has dipped to 93%. This means we will continue to have outbreaks. This current local outbreak has caused fear among our families.
Some parents and daycare centers are asking to vaccinate children who are too young or too soon for boosters of MMR. Strong research-based recommendation exists for vaccinations at 12 months of age, and at four years of age for the booster unless specific exposure to an active case of measles exist. Research proven alternative vaccine schedules do not exist. Please vaccinate on time. But we do know that vaccine hesitancy exists.
This March, the fourth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States remains one of the countries with the largest divide regarding vaccines, stemming from many measures implemented at the height of the pandemic, including vaccines. Worry about the safety of vaccines, including the MMR vaccine is very high. The local health community encourages families to speak with a trusted healthcare provider, discuss the needs of vaccination for your own families and do what is best for the common good at this moment in our community. Personal choice is important, but vaccinating is also for the common good. Our moral compass needs to direct us to protect all of our community, especially the children, by helping to control vaccine preventable diseases.
Sara Guerrero-Duby, MD, is a pediatrician at Dayton Children’s Hospital.
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