CDC Urges Americans To Ensure Measles Vaccination Before International Travel
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States is cautioning Americans to ensure measles vaccination before international travel this summer. The agency issued a health advisory emphasizing the importance of receiving two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine at least two weeks prior to visiting areas of the world experiencing active measles outbreaks. Significance of the measles vaccination According to the CDC, two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97% protection against the virus. However, individuals who have not been vaccinated are at an extremely high risk of falling ill even with brief exposure. The agency warns that a person can contract measles by simply being in a room where an infected individual has been, even up to two hours after that person has left. It is recommended that children receive their first MMR vaccine dose between 12 and 15 months of age, with the second dose administered around the time they start kindergarten, at a...