Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine(Merck Sharp & Dohme)

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., March 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As vaccine uptake continues to decrease, measles cases or outbreaks have emerged in several states, including Missouri earlier this year. Nationally, the total number of measles cases has already reached the level that occurred during the entire year of 2023. With cases reported across the country, the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services (DHSS) recommends parents and guardians check their child’s vaccination records to make sure they have received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. This vaccine has been used in the United States since the 1970s and is a safe and effective way to protect children from measles. To be fully immunized, children are recommended to receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, with the first dose between ages 12-15 months and the second dose between ages 4-6 years old. Infants as young as 6 months can receive the first dose if traveling to areas where the measles infection rate is high. Families should consult their health care provider to discuss appropriate vaccine options for their children. Herd immunity, achieved through a measles vaccination rate of 95% or more, is crucial for preventing disease outbreaks in the community and protecting vulnerable populations who cannot receive vaccines. “Achieving this level of vaccination creates a barrier that limits the spread of infectious disease within a community, safeguarding those who are unable to be vaccinated due to their age or compromised immune systems,” said Dr. George Turabelidze, state epidemiologist with DHSS. Statewide, the MMR vaccination rate among kindergarteners has dropped steadily from 95.4% in the 2016-2017 school year to 90.5% at the start of the 2023-2024 school year, according to preliminary data reported by Missouri school districts. Religious (non-medical) exemptions have simultaneously increased from 1.9% to 3.5%. The measles vaccine, given as part of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, is extremely effective, giving those vaccinated with just one dose 93% protection against measles infection. Both doses of the vaccine provide individuals with a 97% protection rate throughout their lifetime. Measles is a highly contagious and serious disease, especially serious for children under age five and those who are immunocompromised. Common symptoms include a rash that starts as flat red spots on the head and spreads to other parts of the body, high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and tiny white spots inside the mouth. But in some instances, individuals with measles will develop brain infection, which can lead to brain damage, and for some, the disease is fatal even with the best care. The virus spreads through coughing and sneezing and can live for up to two hours in an airspace after an infected person leaves an area. A person can spread measles without knowing they are infected. If not treated, complications can grow in severity. Most health insurance plans cover vaccines, but individuals should check with their insurance provider to verify coverage. For those without insurance, the Vaccines for Children Program, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides free vaccines to children who qualify. Additionally, most local public health agencies throughout the state of Missouri offer vaccinations at affordable rates. To find a local public health agency near you and schedule an appointment, visit the Local Public Health Agency Directory. Mission of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS): To promote health and safety through prevention, collaboration, education, innovation and response. MEDIA CONTACT:Lisa Cox (573-751-6062)Missouri Department of Health and Senior ServicesMedia Inquiry Form

A British MP wants an MRR vaccine TikTok campaign to help boost lagging rates. Amid a new outbreak of measles in England and rates of vaccination against the infectious disease dropping below critical levels in the country, one British politician believes TikTok may hold the answer In several big cities in England, there's been a surge in measles cases in recent weeks, including in the capital London and in Birmingham, which has seen the most cases, now hitting more than 200. There were just over 1,600 suspected cases of measles in England and Wales last year, according to recent data out by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), more than double the 735 cases in 2022 and 360 found in 2021. Health officials see this as a worrying upward trend.  Measles can in some cases prove fatal or lead to complications such as pneumonia or blindness. There are of course vaccines for the disease, including in England GSK’s Priorix, which vaccinates against measles, mumps and rubella (the so-called MMR vaccine). It is offered in a two-dose schedule via the taxpayer-funded NHS system to newborns and preschool children, but the World Health Organization (WHO) says that 95% of all children should have MMR for herd immunity. But just 85% of children in 2022-23 had both MMR doses by the time they went to school, the lowest level in more than 12 years. There are several issues underlying this, including a legacy of vaccine hesitancy spurred by Andrew Wakefield. He wrote a paper in the late 1990s attempting to link the MMR vaccine to autism, but these tests were later deemed “critically flawed.” The paper however garnered a lot of media attention and set back vaccine uptake for years. There has also been a slow post-COVID catch-up program for the vaccine after appointments were stopped during the COVID lockdowns. Birmingham MP Jess Phillips, who is a politician for the Labour Opposition party in the U.K. and in charge of the largest area with an outbreak, said in an interview with the BBC that social media may hold the answer. In her Midlands constituency, she said many parents under the age of 40 with children, “were largely talking to each other on TikTok and that a TikTok campaign was needed to promote the MMR vaccine.” She also believes that people, largely those on social media sites, should be held to account for spreading misinformation around vaccines, which is also partly fueling vaccine hesitancy. “I think it's criminal when people spread that fake news because it's hurting people, it's harming people,” she said. “Frankly those people should be held to task and account for essentially causing illness in these areas.”