Johnson County Public Health told the Board of Supervisors on July 23 that the state has reported locally acquired measles cases and the county is promoting an early protection dose for infants.
Sam Jarvis, Johnson County Public Health, briefed the board and said the state had announced its eighth Iowa case the prior evening and investigators had determined some cases were locally acquired. He said public exposure notices list locations and two-hour windows after an infectious person’s presence because "measles [is] airborne" and that practice is "pretty standard practice for this specific disease."
Jarvis said the biggest posture change locally is promoting what public health is calling "dose 0" for children aged 6 months to 11 months. "It's called dose 0 because it it doesn't count towards the vaccination schedule. This is purely for protection right now," he said, adding that the county and hospitals are notifying pediatricians and clinics so providers can answer parents' questions.
During public comment, a parent asked whether additional boosters were recommended for elementary-age children; Jarvis replied there is currently no need for an extra booster for children following the routine two-dose schedule and that adults likewise do not need additional doses in general. He noted specific older cohorts (people vaccinated during 1963–1967) raise separate questions that public health is addressing case by case.
The briefing did not include new local case counts beyond what the state had posted, nor did the board take formal action; Jarvis said county public health staff and partners in hospitals are implementing the accelerated messaging to providers and the public.