Although in the United States most people are given the MMR vaccine, which immunizes against measles, mumps and rubella, a recent confirmed case of measles in Boston has caused concern among many residents.
“There is only one confirmed case at this point,” said Christian Nielsen, the Public Relations Specialist at the Boston Public Health Commission. “It was a 24-year-old woman who worked at the Park Square Building and they’re not positive how she got it, but it’s very contagious as it is airborne so it’s not surprising that people who frequented the same area are suspected of having it.”
The Park Square Building is in the Back Bay near the Boston Common and houses hotels, restaurants and stores.
Since the original confirmed case, there have been three suspected cases and though their symptoms are similar, their blood work has not come back yet, Nielsen said.
The woman who was first diagnosed with measles was confirmed to have come in contact with at least two of those suspected to have measles.
A woman in her 30’s, one of those suspected to have measles, “ate at a restaurant in the Park Square Building area that was among several frequented by the initial case with measles,” the Boston Public Health Commission said in a Feb. 24 press release.
The second individual suspected of having contact, a woman in her 20’s, lives close to the confirmed case.
According to a public health fact sheet on measles put out by the Boston Public Health Commission, measles is easily spread from person to person and causes a fever, rash and runny nose. Those infected with measles are contagious from four days before the rash associated with measles appears to four days after it appears.
Though typically only children are vaccinated against measles, adults born after 1957 who have not had measles are also candidates for the vaccination.
“Most Americans are vaccinated,” Nielsen said.
After the original case was reported, the BPHC held a free vaccination clinic on Feb. 23 in the building where the woman works, to which about 80 employees came to get vaccinated, Nielsen said.
“Vaccination is really the best protection against measles,” said Anita Barry, director of the Infectious Disease Bureau at the Boston Public Health Commission in the press release. “We encourage people who frequented the Park Square Building and restaurants in that area who do not know that they have previously been vaccinated against measles and are concerned about their potential exposure to visit the free clinic and get their measles vaccinations.”
The woman originally infected is still recovering and is no longer considered contagious, according to the press release.
With the revelation that there could be more cases, the BPHC held a second free vaccination clinic on Friday, which brought about 100 people.
The BPHC has also been working with the company that owns Park Square Building, Capital Properties, in order to minimize as best they can the spread of measles.
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