Additional measles confirmed as doctors warn families to vaccinate children in Philly
PHILADELPHIA - Local doctors are urging families to vaccinate their children after a confirmed cluster of measles cases in Philadelphia, with five confirmed cases among non-vaccinated individuals, and three possible new cases. The Health Dept. went on to say three of the cases are hospitalized.
A letter addressed to families at the Multicultural Education Station on Castor Avenue explains details of the measles outbreak within the daycare and several children showing symptoms.
"There are clearly some children who have not been vaccinated and it has spread," said Dr. Ala Stanford.
Dr. Stanford, Founder of Black Doctors Consortium, and with the Center for Health Equity, says the potentially deadly disease is preventable with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
"It typically causes a respiratory illness or encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain," Dr. Stanford explained. "That respiratory illness can turn into pneumonia, which can lead to death, which is why it’s so important you get both sets. The first one between 12 and 15 months and the second one between four and six years."
Measles outbreak reported in group of unvaccinated Philadelphia residents
Additional clusters of measles have been identified in Philadelphia by health officials after they say one of the newest confirmed cases were caught at a day care that disregarded quarantine instructions.
"Measles is scary, because it is the single most contagious vaccine preventable disease," Director of the Vaccine Education Center and Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Dr. Paul Offit, said.
Dr. Offit says people are playing a dangerous game when they choose not to vaccinate against the highly contagious disease. "Those droplets that contain measles hang in the air like a ghost and take about two hours to settle."
Dr. Offit says the CDC reported a drop in vaccine rates among kindergartners, some of the resistance stemming from the pandemic.
"I think what it may take is, once again, people have to see what these diseases look like to be scared of them, which means, once again, the most vulnerable among us – children – will have to suffer our ignorance," Dr. Offit explained.
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Back at the Center for Health Equity, patient Sheila Morris, admits she didn’t always believe in vaccines, but is now fully up to date on her shots.
"My son, he got sick, so I had to go and do it and I had to rethink that whole thing," Morris said. "I said it’s probably best for me to get it."
"We do have measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in addition to COVID and flu and all those lovely respiratory viruses we have all seen an uptick in. So, please use us as a resource. We are here," Dr. Stanford said.
Philadelphia Health Department lists places of possible measles exposure, here.