Montclair Health Department offers vaccination for measles.
As measles continue to spread across the country, the Montclair Health Department is looking out for its citizens. According to a report by the department, from Jan. 1 to Feb. 6 of this year, 121 people from 17 states were reported to have measles. Most of these cases are part of a large, ongoing multi-state outbreak linked to an amusement park in California. As of Feb. 10, New Jersey has one reported case; at this time there is no identified connection with the multi state outbreak.
The Montclair Health Department encourages parents to review their children’s immunization record or call their doctor or the health care provider to check immunization status. Epidemiologists have said children between one and four years old should have received their first or second MMR vaccine.
According to the report, “Montclair Health Officer Susan Portuese encourages everyone to make sure that you are up-to-date on your vaccines. It is especially important for children that are in school and in daycare, with other children younger than one year of age. These younger children are not eligible to receive the measles vaccine until after they reach their first birthday. Measles is a serious and very contagious disease and easily spreads from person to person through coughing and sneezing. Cases of measles also may result in additional illnesses, such as pneumonia, swelling of the brain, and may result in hospitalization and high medical costs. In developing countries, hundreds of thousands of measles cases continue to occur, and are just an airplane ride away from the United States. It has been estimated that nine out of 10 unvaccinated people will become infected with measles if they spend time in a meeting, classroom, or other close space with an infected person.”
The Montclair Health Department hosts immunization clinics on the first and third Mondays of the month from 9 a.m. to noon, and the department is located in the Township of Montclair Municipal Building at 205 Claremont Avenue in Montclair. The department offers various immunizations including the MMR vaccine. For the latest information, please visit the New Jersey Department of Health website or call the Montclair Health Department at 973-509-4974.
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