Health officials in Ashtabula County say they believe they have identified all contacts of the initial case in a recent measles outbreak.
All of the contacts are no longer infectious and are being monitored, said David Shumate, director of nursing at the Ashtabula County Health Department, in a statement. He warned increased spring travel could bring more cases.
Christine Hill, the Health Commissioner for the Ashtabula City Health Department, said the city just received an additional supply of the measles, mumps and rubella — or MMR — vaccine, and hopes those who are unvaccinated visit one of several upcoming vaccine clinics in the county.
“This didn't happen overnight and it's not going to go away overnight," she said. "We just need to be vigilant here with our education and our campaigns to vaccinate because it is the best preventative method by far.”
The first case of measles in Ohio this year came from an unvaccinated man in Ashtabula who came into contact with someone who had been traveling internationally. Nine people traced to him also became infected, and all were unvaccinated.
University Hospitals pediatrics infectious disease Dr. Amy Edwards said children need two doses of the MMR vaccine, while others who have been partially immunized, including people born before 1968, could use a booster shot.
“Talk to your primary care physician about whether you need a booster," she said. "Now's the time (to get immunized) rather than waiting for us to catch up with Texas."
The vaccine takes about two weeks to reach its full protection, and two doses of the vaccine are about 96-97% effective at preventing illness, Edwards said.
She warned that given the low levels of vaccination across Ohio, it's not a question of if more outbreaks like this one will occur, but when.
"Kindergarten vaccine uptake rates between public and private schools (have) dropped into the 80% (vaccinated range) and so we are absolutely ripe for outbreaks," Edwards said. "One of the big problems is we know unvaccinated groups tend to congregate."
The Ashtabula County Health Department is hosting a vaccine clinic Thursday at the Conneaut Human Resource Center at 327 Mill St. in Conneaut from until 5:30 p.m., and at the Monroe Township Fire Department at 4095 Center Road in Conneaut on April 7 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The county also has walk-in clinics located at 12 West Jefferson St. in Jefferson that are open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Information about additional clinics and announcements will be posted on their website and Facebook page.
