Local Doctor provides measles information

Health officials are urging residents to ensure their vaccinations are up-to-date amid growing concerns about the spread of the highly contagious virus, measles.

At this time, 198 cases of measles have been identified according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

“The measles outbreak started in the panhandle area in Lubbock,” Family Medicine Physician of Lavaca Medical Center Morgan Heck said. “It has now spread. Measles is difficult because we do not have evidence of the disease up to two weeks after you get exposed. It’s one of those things where you have to wait to see who becomes positive. It’s very contagious but there’s a lab time of exposure to symptoms and that’s how the virus gets away with being so spreadable.”

“There was an individual on Valentine’s Day who came to the San Marcos area and San Antonio area. That’s kind of where the awareness needs to be known for our area because that has brought the potential for disease in our area. We are kind of past that two-week period of time of symptom onset, so that’s a little bit hopeful.”

A measles MMR vaccine is given to young children. If one follows the regular vaccine guidelines, around six-years-old, everyone should have two doses of the MMR vaccine according to Heck.

“If you are born before 1957, we are expecting you to have immunity,” Heck said. “It was a common virus before 1957. I can test my older adults born before 1957 for immunity through a blood test and most of them are going to pop out immune.”

Those born before 1957 are also protected against mumps and rubella according to the CDC.

“If you are born after 1957 and you know that you have not had the two MMR vaccines, we recommend you get your vaccines done,” Heck said. “We recommend you get two of them at least 28 days apart. Anyone can access those vaccines at pharmacies, at your local doctor, and at health departments. They should be free for you covered with insurance.”

“If you have been exposed and you definitely know you’ve been exposed, there are some conditions where us doctors might give an extra MMR vaccine or even an immunoglobulin if you can’t get the vaccine. For example, pregnant women cannot get the vaccine and cancer patients can’t get it as well. Children less than six months old also can’t get it.”

There is no cure for measles if one gets sick.

“There is only supportive care,” Heck said. “We reduce fever and help with breathing support. It’s a virus, so antibiotics don’t work on viruses. We have to let the body work on itself, but we can support that body. Sometimes we have to hospitalize people, it’s a pretty severe illness in a lot of people.”

There are 97% of people who get fully vaccinated have full immunity according to Heck.

“I was a cancer patient just a year ago and I couldn’t get vaccinated,” Heck said. “So, I would hope that everyone around me would have been vaccinated as a child or given the vaccine so that they can surround me with immunity. That’s how herd immunity works and that’s why we recommend vaccines for everybody and not just specific populations. Getting your vaccines is a kindness to your community and is an unselfish thing to do for your fellow Americans.”

The MMR vaccine only cause illness in less than one out of 100,000 people. So, if 100,000 people get the vaccine, less than one of them might actually have an illness.

“Even then, that virus will be less dramatic than a full-on illness,” Heck said.

Heck gave a rundown on the timeline for the measles virus if one was exposed.

“Up to a week or two after you get exposed, the illness onset starts with high fever, cough, and a runny nose,” Heck said. “That can be a flu, COVID or measles. However, what happens a few days later is that you break out in a pretty obvious rash. It starts as red spots on the face and then it spreads down to the neck and the trunk and the rest of the body. You can be very contagious about four days before the rash to four days after. If a patient gets measles, they have to really avoid and quarantine four days before or four days after the rash.”

“The first thing one should do if they’re convinced, they have measles is to call your doctor. Let them know. What we do is listen to their symptoms on the phone and triage patients. What I do not want is a patient who is sick with measles walking in the front door of the hospital. For example, if that happens and they cough, every single person in that vicinity can be exposed for up to two hours after being in that room. What we have at Lavaca Medical Center is an outside clinic area that is negative pressure. Everybody wears a mask, you come into a separate door and then an isolated room with air circulation that pulls the air out quickly and we are all protected. Most healthcare workers are required to have immunity or the booster, so most of them are pretty safe, but I can’t promise that for my other patients.”

Heck said public awareness and education are important to preventing the outbreak.

“We are trying to pinpoint the cases of measles and give people that information,” Heck said. “However, we don’t want to provide panic in any way or misinformation. We want to calm people down. We want to be clear and concise and truthful with our language. We don’t want people to be afraid.”

Heck encourages folks to have a personal relationship with their doctor so they can answer any questions with no judgement and kindness.

“We’re not afraid, but we are prepared,” Heck said. “This is a virus we know about and is something that’s been around so we’re happy to take care of our community and our patients.”

Those needing more resources on the measles virus can look up the Texas Department of Human Health and Services.