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Health department: no measles in Jefferson County but U.S. cases rising; check vaccination status
Summary
Jefferson County health staff said there were no local measles cases but cited 164 nationwide year-to-date and urged residents to confirm vaccination status and lab titers when appropriate.
Jefferson County health staff told the Board of Supervisors on March 3 that the county did not have any measles cases but warned national case counts are rising and urged residents to check vaccination status.
Speaker 9 said there were 164 U.S. cases year-to-date and recalled a local outbreak in the early 2000s. County guidance follows standard practice: people born before 1957 are generally presumed immune; individuals with lab-confirmed titers or documented disease history do not need vaccination; otherwise, MMR immunization is recommended. "We don't have the measles in Jefferson County currently. If we did, everybody would know about it," Speaker 9 said.
The health official explained measles is airborne and viral particles can linger in a room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves; the vaccine is 95–97% effective. Staff recommended checks on vaccination status for children and household members and reminded supervisors that measles can cause severe complications, including miscarriage in unvaccinated pregnant women.
Supervisors thanked health staff for the update and encouraged public outreach where appropriate.
