Although Lake County has no reported cases of the measles, healthcare facilities are preparing, just in case the outbreak reaches the area.
The county health department has vaccine in stock. They also expect to receive an order of state funded vaccine. In addition, county public health officer Dr. Karen Tait has been attending conferences on the disease and forwarding the findings to local physicians.
“We”ve been disseminating information,” said Sherylin Taylor, the Lake County public health department”s Nursing Director. “We do recognize that a lot of the newer providers haven”t seen measles.”
Many people assumed the disease to have been eradicated with the introduction of a two-part vaccine in 2000. A vaccination program began in 1963, leading to the virtual elimination of measles in the U.S. Up to that point, up to 4 million cases were reported each year in the U.S. alone and measles killed 400 to 500 people across the country every year.
Also known as rubeola, the disease is highly contagious. Symptoms are similar at first to a cold or flu, with fever, coughing and sinous drainage evident before a rash breaks out. These symptoms occur generally within one or two weeks after exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
In 1998, however, a now discredited report suggested the vaccination might be partially responsible for an increase in autism. This caused many to opt out of the process after celebrity endorsement of the notion — and several states, including California, introduced measures making it easier for families to refuse the vaccine.
The author of that report, British Dr. Andrew Wakefield, later retracted the study after charges that he falsified data emerged. He was stripped of his medical license.
But in December of 2014 , a measles outbreak that reportedly began when 40 people were exposed at Disneyland. It has now spread through 14 states, with well over 100 cases reported. As of Feb. 4, 99 cases have been noted in California.
In the majority of these cases the victim was not vaccinated.
“We support vaccinations,” said Jan Emerson-Shea of the California Hospital Association, backing a near unanimous opinion from medical professionals.
According to the CDC, 1957 represents the cut off date for vaccinations. Those born before that year were likely exposed and therefore essentially immune.
Emerson-Shea pointed out that while hospitals are typically well prepared for “all kinds of communicable diseases,” most of the measles patients show up first at private practices.
While many practices in the state had to scramble to become familiar with the disease in the aftermath of this current, surprising outbreak, Lake County may be more fortunate. According to Taylor, a number of older and semi-retired doctors live in the area.
“They have seen the measles,” she observed.
Researchers suggest that “herd immunity” — the point at which it becomes unlikely for the disease to spread — occurs when 92 to 95 percent of a group receives the vaccination. In Lake County, Cobb Mountain Elementary (75.00 percent) and Lucerne Elementary (78.95 percent) report the lowest immunization rates among primary schools. Only Burns Valley (97.62 percent), Lower Lake (97.03 percent) and Pomo (96.36 percent) exceed the higher mark.
Should a measles case end up in a local practice, physicians will provide care and immediately report the information to the county health department. The department then conducts an investigation into the patient”s travels and potential contact with those who are not immune.
“The main thing is to minimize the spread,” Taylor said.
The county health services provides vaccinations at $59.19 plus a $9 administrative fee. Medical covers this expense. When the state funded doses arrive, these will be given free of charge, but for a waivable administrative fee.
