A Clallam County resident with measles visited several public areas in King County, including Kent and Auburn, while contagious on Jan. 28.
Most people in the community are immune to measles, so public risk of contracting measles is low except for people who are not vaccinated or are not old enough to have been exposed to measles as a child, according to a public health advisory issued by the Clallam County Department of Health and Human Services.
People who haven’t been vaccinated or aren’t sure if they are immune should ask a health care professional for assistance in determining whether they are at risk of contracting measles.
Anyone who was in one of the following locations during the indicated times may have been exposed to measles:
• Jan. 28
• 11 a.m – 1:10 p.m., SeaTac Rest Area (I5 Northbound), Federal Way
• 11:25 a.m.-1:35 p.m., Owen Equipment Company, 8721 S 218th St., Kent
• 11:45 a.m.-1:50 p.m., Bent Bike Motorcycle Salvage, 4337 Auburn Way North, Auburn
• 11:58a.m.- 2:15 p.m. at Arby’s, 140 15th Street NE, Auburn
Anyone who was in any of these locations at the listed times should find out if they have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously. Everyone born before 1957 is presumed to have had measles and is immune. People, who are unvaccinated, aren’t sure if they’re immune, and develop an illness with fever or unexplained rash should consult a health care professional immediately.
It is very important for them to call ahead to their clinic, doctor’s office, or emergency room before arrive to prevent people in the waiting room to be exposed to measles. Measles is highly contagious even before the rash starts, and is easily spread when an infected person breathers, coughs, or sneezes. If you are not vaccinated, you can get the measles just by walking into a room where someone with the disease has been in the past couple of hours.
Children should be vaccinated with two does of measles, mumps, rubella vaccine, with the first dose between 12 and 15 months and the second at four-to-six years. Adults should have at least one measles vaccination; some people need two.
The state Department of Health immunization program has online information about measles and measles vaccine at:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/IllnessandDisease/Measles/FrequentlyAskedQuestions
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