There’s growing concern among Alamo City parents after a visitor from West Texas tested positive for the illness after touring several local spots.
SAN ANTONIO — With the number of cases rising, parents in Texas counties where the measles has not been detected are raising concerns after the City of San Antonio and Metro Health spread word about a potential measles exposure following a Gaines County resident’s visit on Feb. 15.
“It is still a cause for concern because it’s a highly contagious infection. It can spread rapidly among the unvaccinated population,” said Dr. Anita Kurian, assistant director of San Antonio’s Metropolitan Health District.
According to officials, the infected person visited the University of Texas at San Antonio Main Campus between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., a wax museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! attractions at Alamo Plaza between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m., and Mr. Crabby’s Seafood and Bar in Live Oak between 6 and 8 p.m.
The individual then visited Buc-ees in New Braunfels on Feb. 15 between 9 a.m. and noon.
Jaime Sawyer, visiting from Nashville, was among the hundreds if not thousands of people walking through downtown San Antonio on Monday afternoon. She’s hopeful this measles outbreak will be taken seriously by the general public.
“I think it’s very concerning. I think we should all pay attention,” Sawyer said. “We’re fresh out of COVID. We understand what a public health crisis looks like.”
The best way to protect your children, according to experts, is to make sure they have received their vaccinations as scheduled.
“Overall, it’s important that we have herd immunity,” said Dr. Jason Bowling, an infectious disease specialist with University Health and professor of infectious diseases with UT Health San Antonio. “We do want to get closer to 95% or higher is ideal. Bexar County overall is pretty good in regard to vaccine uptake. We certainly want to make sure that we don’t slide.”
But to be extra cautious, stay away from anyone who may have been exposed or infected with the disease.
“Avoidance of people who have been diagnosed with measles over the past three weeks or at least until four days after the rash, and then three weeks for people who have been exposed to others with confirmed measles,” said Dr. Garrett Hunt, chief of pediatric infectious disease with CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital.
When it comes to the MMR vaccine, the CDC says one dose – typically given between 12 and 15 months of age – is 93% effective at preventing measles.
The second dose, given between ages 4 and 6, raises the effectiveness to 97%. Getting that second shot could be done earlier than age 4.
“You can be given (the vaccine) as early as 28 days if you’re four weeks after the first dose. And that’s what’s recommended in adults, so you can accelerate it,” said Bowling.
But what about protection for children younger than 12 months? Can they get the vaccine earlier?
“In areas where there is an outbreak, the health department may recommend that children 6 months of age but less than 12 months of age receive the MMR vaccine, which will be protective,” Hunt said. “But it will not be counted as a part of their routine vaccine vaccination series.”
There are now seven counties in West Texas reporting cases of measles. Gaines County still has the most, reporting 57 cases. Terry County has reported 20; Dawson 6; Yoakum 4; and Ector, Lubbock and Lynn counties all reporting one case each.
If your child has symptoms like a fever with red eyes and congestion, call your family doctor.
“Particularly if there’s concern about contact with someone who was diagnosed with measles,” said Hunt.
We heard from four San Antonio school districts, which for now don’t seem too concerned. But they are on alert.
Northside ISD says they are not issuing guidance as of yet. San Antonio ISD says they are recommending that students with a fever stay home while the district sends out notices if a diagnosed case is identified on campus.
North East ISD said nurses in the district are being informed about how they should respond should measles be identified.
“This information is being reviewed with them because while this is something common to all nursing education, many nurses have never actually seen measles because it was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000,” NEISD officials said.
They also reached out to the health department to find out what their recommendations and requirements would be for any unvaccinated students if there were a positive individual in the school. They say they’re making sure they have adequate supplies of personal protective equipment for any nurses who request it.
East Central ISD is following similar procedures. That district says if it is determined that a child does have measles, they will report the case to Metro Health.