Hundreds vaccinated after measles warning
Archives For Measles
Mass., R.I. officials reaching out to customers
NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, Mass. — A warning about possible measles exposure has been issued for a North Attleborough CVS.
A person believed to have measles was seen at the Minute Clinic Friday.
“The patient was diagnosed by our nurse practitioner as having symptoms associated with measles and was referred to Rhode Island Hospital,” CVS said in a statement.
Massachusetts and Rhode Island health officials are in the process of contacting people who were there between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. that day.
If you were there and you’re not contacted by Monday, state health officials ask that you get in touch with them.
“We are following Department of Health protocols in this matter, including notifying customers and patients who may have been exposed as well as verifying that employees who were potentially exposed have received the proper vaccinations,” CVS said.
The patient also visited Rhode Island Hospital on Friday, right after the CVS visit, and Roger Williams Medical Center on Feb. 25.
Those hospitals are also notifying patients who may have been exposed.
Anyone who begins to develop symptoms should call their health care provider before visiting an office or emergency room.
Early symptoms occur 10 days to two weeks after exposure and may resemble a cold with fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes.
There is no indication that the North Attleborough incident is related to two cases of measles in the Framingham area.
2 cases confirmed in MetroWest
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Two cases of measles have been confirmed in the past week in MetroWest residents, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said Monday.
Framingham officials said one of the confirmed cases of measles was in the Trader’s Joe’s store on Worcester Road, and sources told NewsCenter5 that the infected person was an employee and was in the store working on Feb. 15 and 16.
“We went out to Trader Joe’s and we held clinics on Feb. 22 and Feb. 24, Framingham Director of Public Health Steven Ward said. “We’ve educated the employees and I believe most have received their vaccination or have proof of vaccination status. We’re now trying to reach the shopping public.”
The DPH and local public health officials are working to identify people who may be at risk for getting ill and who may spread the disease further, and are asking them to telephone their providers rather than going directly to a health care facility, health officials said.
“We just want to get the word out,” Framingham’s Chief Public Health Nurse Kitty Mahoney said. “The thing with measles is that it can hang around for a while. For a couple of hours, actually. So even if someone who is infection leaves a room, that air would be considered potentially contaminated for up to two hours after.”
Ward said people who feel as though they could have been exposed need to get vaccinated by Tuesday for it to be effective. He said most people are protected against the disease, which can cause ear infections, pneumonia and swelling of the brain.
Early symptoms of measles occur 10 days to two weeks after exposure and may resemble a cold, but a rash occurs on the skin two to four days after the initial symptoms appear.
People with measles may be contagious up to four days before the rash appears and for four days after the day the rash appears.
A question everyone has been asking is, what if you were in the store and then went home to your family, are they safe?
“The short answer is if they weren’t in the store, the risk is minimal,” Mahoney said.
Mahoney said if you’re still concerned about possible exposure, just call your physician.
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