Child contracts measles; Others could have been exposed

A child in our area was exposed to measles while traveling outside the U.S., and the child had not been vaccinated to prevent the disease.

Health officials in our area say others could have been exposed.

Northern Virginia area health officials are coordinating efforts to reach people who may have been exposed. Listed below are the dates, times, and locations of the potential exposure sites associated with measles.

Kaiser Permanente Ashburn Medical Center, 43480 Yukon Drive, Ashburn, Va. 20147, Loudoun County

• May 13, 2022 — 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Inova Fairfax Hospital – Pediatric and Adult Emergency Departments 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, Va. 22042, Fairfax County

• May 15, 2022, 5:30 p.m. to May 16 at 2 a.m.
• May 16, 2022, 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Outside of these specific locations and times, it is currently believed that the risk to the community is low.

The child is in stable condition and improving, health officials said.

Measles is a highly contagious illness spread through coughing, sneezing, and contact with droplets from the nose, mouth, or throat of an infected individual.

According to the health department, measles symptoms usually appear in two stages. In the first stage, most people have a fever of greater than 101 degrees, a runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough. The second stage begins around the third to seventh day when a rash appears on the face and spreads over the entire body.

What should you do if you were at one of the above locations at the time specified?

If you have received two doses of a measles vaccine (either the measles, mumps and rubella [MMR] vaccine or a measles-only vaccine available in other countries), you are protected and do not need to take any action.

If you have received only one dose of a measles vaccine, you are very likely to be protected, and your risk of being infected with measles from any of these exposures is very low.  However, to achieve complete immunity, contact your health care provider about getting a second vaccine dose.

If you have never received a measles vaccine nor had a documented case of measles, you may be at risk of getting measles from this exposure. Contact your local health department or health care provider for advice. If you notice the symptoms of measles, stay home and away from others, and immediately call your primary health care provider or health department to discuss further care.

Call ahead before going to the medical office or the emergency room and tell them that you were exposed to measles.