Pima County Health Dept Warns of Measles Virus Dangers

Tucson, Ariz. (13 News) - Measles is becoming an increasingly significant issue throughout North America. , Meanwhile, vaccination rates are declining.

To improve these figures, the Pima County Health Department aims to make individuals comprehend two key points: the seriousness of the illness and the efficacy of the vaccination.

Andrew Saal serves as the Assistant Medical Director at the Pima County Health Department. According to him, the vaccination rate against measles within the county falls somewhere in the range of the mid to low 90 percentiles.

"While that's acceptable, it doesn't quite meet the standard," Saal stated.

A significant amount of community involvement is necessary to ensure the vaccine achieves the efficacy claimed by medical professionals.

We have evidence that when usage exceeds 95% within a community, as stated by Banner Health Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician Scott Olson, 'even if measles is brought into the area, it won’t spread.'

Then, what’s the reason for the decrease in figures?

Specialists attribute numerous factors to why measles was eliminated from the U.S. back in 2000, and many young parents haven't actually witnessed what measles appears like.

"This wild-type virus is definitely something you want to avoid. It leads to fatalities in one to two cases per thousand individuals and could result in hospitalization," stated Saal.

Even following your time at the hospital, you might still face risks.

Not only the measles infection itself, but also post-measles complications like bacterial pneumonia and invasive bacterial infections," Olson stated. "These occurrences aren’t rare following a case of measles.

The Pima County Health Department stated that increasing vaccination rates within the county once more remains their highest priority.

It must now be carried out with reduced funding following the cuts to multiple federal grants made by the Trump administration.

The initial move according to experts involves educating people.

"We aim for parents to have genuine scientific evidence indicating that this vaccine is both safe and highly efficacious," Saal stated.

Next, their aim is to ensure the vaccine is economically viable for all, and ultimately, strive to make it readily available to everyone.

"This upcoming summer, keep an eye out for us at numerous back-to-school events where we aim to ensure that the vaccinations needed by you, your family, and particularly your children, will be accessible at the local community level," Saal stated.

For a vaccine that experts claim has demonstrated its effectiveness and worth over many years.

People who are developing these vaccines have pure intentions," Olson stated. "Our motivation comes from our concern for people’s health.

You can locate official statistics on vaccination rates per county at the Arizona Department of Health Services webpage which you can access. HERE .

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