Measles – Vaccination is the best prevention; call ahead if you have symptoms.
Vaccination with the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine continues to be our best defense to keep measles from spreading. Make sure you and your family are up-to-date with the MMR vaccine – contact your healthcare provider if you or anyone in your family is unsure of their immunization or needs the MMR vaccine.
Anyone can get the MMR vaccine completely free-of-charge at Homer Medical Center during their normal walk-in clinic hours on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:00 – 8:00PM at 4136 Bartlett Street.
If anyone thinks they might have measles, they should call their health care provider or local public health center immediately. It’s important to get care quickly, but people should call first and not go directly to the doctor’s office, clinic or school.
Measles often starts with a fever (as high as 104° F), cough, runny nose, red eyes and sore throat. A rash follows that usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) has confirmed a single case of measles in a teenager from the Kenai Peninsula. Read the full press release here.
For more information and recommendations on vaccination, prevention and treatment for measles visit the DHSS Measles page here.
