Adults who were vaccinated in the 1960s may need a measles booster
Source: CBS News
Some adults who were vaccinated against the measles in the 1960s may only have partial immunity. CBS News' Dr. David Agus explained on "CBS This Morning" Friday why people who were vaccinated from 1963 to 1968 should see their doctor about potentially getting a booster shot.
"Starting in 1963 we started vaccinating," Agus said. "The first five years of the vaccine -- some batches of it were not very good. None of us really know which batch we got."
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According to Agus, those who were born before 1957 were most likely exposed to measles, meaning 95-98 percent of them have enough antibodies to fight the disease. From 1968 to 1989 doctors gave only one shot, meaning immunity among those people may be a little lower than those who received two shots.
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The CDC has confirmed the largest number of cases -- mostly in unvaccinated children -- since measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000. Measles can linger in one's body without symptoms, putting newborns who don't have antibodies yet and are too young for a booster shot at risk. In other words, it's not just about you.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/measles-vaccine-adults-who-were-vaccinated-in-the-1960s-may-need-a-measles-booster/
To repeat what the article says: IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU!!!!!!
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that made the change in the measles vaccination, and I believe they give two, several years apart.
Here's an interesting chart.
And that unfortunately none of it seemed to have worked for me....
the disease wrong, and I'm glad I got corrected very quickly.
The one I have had multiple times now and that clearly puts me in the 50% that for whom it is ineffective is the Zostavax.
I am going to ask about the Shingrix - clearly that is one I should take a look at....Shingles is awful. Have had it 4 times now since I was 42....
Really never want it again....
Here's what I learned when my son was growing up in the 70s: there's more than one kind of measles.
I guess some people (not doctors) used to call roseola "three-day measles" because it wasn't considered as dangerous as the "German measles." I'm pretty sure German measles is the high-temp one that most parents and doctors fear, and it's very contagious among children. In the early 70s my son got roseola and the pediatrician told me not to worry about it. Just watch his temperature and keep him warm and hydrated.
I had never heard of roseola before that, and I'm pretty sure I had the German measles as a kid. Maybe my son received my immunity to them at birth, I don't know. By the way I haven't heard the term "German measles" for probably 40 years.
That's what I was explaining in my earlier post. The German measles (rubella) lasts about 2 weeks, not 3 days, but that may include the incubation period. It has a danger of high fever in which some patients might need to be hospitalized.
Roseola has the lower temperature, red rash on the face and body, and nobody dies from it, as far as I know. Both are considered childhood diseases that give lifetime immunity to survivors.
but I believe that rubella is the "German measles" and yes, although it doesn't last as long as THE measles, it can be serious in its consequences, especially to others. See https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rubella/symptoms-causes/syc-20377310
Rubella is not the same as measles (rubeola), though the two illnesses do share some characteristics, including the red rash. However, rubella is caused by a different virus than measles, and is neither as infectious nor usually as severe as measles.
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, usually given to children in the United States twice before they reach school age, is highly effective in preventing rubella.
Roseola appears to be an entirely different disease and is generally not serious. See https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/roseola/symptoms-causes/syc-20377283
Two common strains of the herpes virus cause roseola. The condition typically causes several days of fever, followed by a rash.
Some children develop only a very mild case of roseola and never show any clear indication of illness, while others experience the full range of signs and symptoms.
Roseola typically isn't serious. Rarely, a very high fever can result in complications. Treatment of roseola includes bed rest, fluids and medications to reduce fever.
THE measles, aka rubeola, is the really bad one. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/measles/symptoms-causes/syc-20374857
Also called rubeola, measles can be serious and even fatal for small children. While death rates have been falling worldwide as more children receive the measles vaccine, the disease still kills more than 100,000 people a year, most under the age of 5.
As a result of high vaccination rates in general, measles hasn't been widespread in the United States for more than a decade. The United States averaged about 60 cases of measles a year from 2000 to 2010, but the average number of cases jumped to 205 a year in recent years. Most of these cases originate outside the country and occurred in people who were unvaccinated or who didn't know whether or not they had been vaccinated.
The terms are similar and can lead to confusion.
But the most important thing is that ALL individuals, unless there are specific medical conditions as defined by a legitimate medical doctor to the contrary, MUST receive the MMR vaccine.
There is some confusion over these diseases, I know I'm not the only one. My son was only 2 or 3 when he got roseola, and he already had the MMR vaccination.
I am frightened that some parents think the vaccinations are somehow optional. No they aren't optional if you care about the health and safety of your children!
