U.S. Measles Outbreak: ANA and CDC ResourcesFebruary 8, 2019 In January, 79 individual cases of measles were confirmed in 10 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all children get two doses of MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. In a given year, more measles cases can occur for any of the following reasons: an increase in the number of travelers who get measles abroad and bring it into the U.S., or further spread of measles in U.S. communities with pockets of unvaccinated people. ANA has a long-standing policy supporting immunizations. ANA believes nurses have a professional and ethical obligation to be immunized -- it protects the health of the nurse, patients, and the community. Nurses work in environments where they are exposed to many communicable diseases and infections, so it's especially important to have the following vaccines:
Read ANA's Immunization Position Statement. Additional measles resources from the CDC: |