CDC’s Project Firstline and American Medical Assocation (AMA) co-hosting Measles Update Webinar on March 28, 2024.
Spring and summer are the seasons for travel, and clinicians should be on high alert for cases of measles. Rapid recognition of measles in healthcare is essential to prevent transmission. Join the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Project Firstline and the American Medical Association (AMA) on March 28, 2024, at 12:00 pm CST for a discussion on current measles epidemiology trends, measles recognition, travel-associated risks, core healthcare infection prevention measures, and the importance of vaccination.
As of March 21, 2024, there have been 64 measles cases reported in the United States this year, which exceeds the 58 measles cases reported during all of 2023. The South Dakota Department of Health (SD DOH) asks medical providers to be alert for a possible introduction of measles into South Dakota, as they spread quickly and can cause severe illness in children and adults.
Measles Update Webinar
March 28, 2024, 12 pm CST
“With the increase of cases of measles in the United States, there is a high risk that you or your family members, including your children, may become infected with the virus. Measels are extremely contagious. Without proper vaccinations, there is potential that you and your loved ones could catch the virus and become very ill,” said Jess Danko, MSHA, RRT, LTC-CIP, program director for the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care (SDFMC).
Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after their rash appears. Air that an infected person breathes out can live in an airspace for up to two hours. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, running nose, red eyes, and rash.
“One person with measles can infect up to 90% of the people close to them who are not immune,” Rebecca Sime, RN, program manager for SDFMC added. “The best protection against measles is the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR vaccine provides long-lasting protection against all strains of measles. MMR is safe, effective, and the best way to prevent getting or exposing others to measles.”