The CT Department of Public Health announced on Friday that a case of measles has been reported in a child in Fairfield County.
The child had not yet been vaccinated against measles, and they had been infected during international travel, DPH officials said.
Officials warn that measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread quickly to people who have not been vaccinated. However, DPH said the majority of people exposed to the virus are not at risk because they have either been vaccinated in the past or had measles before vaccination became routine.
One dose of the measles vaccine is about 93% effective in preventing the virus on exposure and two doses are about 97% effective.
DPH officials said two doses of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine are required to attend schools and colleges in Connecticut. However, students with medical or religious exemptions may go to school without being vaccinated.
Adults should receive at least one dose of the measles vaccine. Certain groups require two doses of BMR, including: college students, health professionals, international travelers, and individuals at high risk for measles complications, officials said.
Adults born in the United States before 1957 are considered immune to the virus of the past exposures, but in situations where measles exposure is likely, these adults may benefit from a dose of MMR vaccine to be safer, DPH said.
Measles symptoms generally start 7 to 14 days after exposure. With infection, a typical case starts with a mild to moderate fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and sore throat. Three to five days after the onset of these symptoms, a red or reddish-brown rash appears, usually starting on a person’s face at the hairline and spreading down the entire body. At the time of the rash, a person’s fever can reach over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to officials.
The rash usually lasts for at least a few days and then disappears in the same order. People with measles can be contagious for up to four days before the rash appears and for four days after the rash appears.
“The only best way to protect yourself and your children from measles is to get vaccinated,” said DPH Acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford. “While the COVID-19 pandemic is happening, some children have lagged behind on their vaccinations. This measles case is an important reminder that these vaccine-preventable diseases are still a threat and that we must protect children through timely vaccination. “
Exposed individuals who have not been vaccinated against measles are advised, according to the guidelines of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not to attend school or other high-risk settings for 21 days after their last known exposure.
The CDC recommends that all children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at ages 12 through 15 months and the second dose at ages four through six.
DPH said they are working with local partners to identify contacts and implement appropriate controls.