Ohio health officials speak on nationwide measles outbreak, importance of vaccinations

BRIAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, IN OTHER NEWS, OHIO HEALTH CARE EXPERTS ARE SOUNDING THE ALARM AS MEASLES CASES RISE IN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND VACCINATION RATES TANK IN THE STATE OF OHIO THREE MONTHS INTO 2025, THE UNITED STATES HAS SURPASSED THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MEASLES CASES IN THE COUNTRY FOR ALL OF LAST YEAR. WE’VE SEEN ONE MEASLES DEATH THIS YEAR, AND THAT’S THE FIRST SINCE 2015. ANOTHER DEATH IS BEING INVESTIGATED AS MEASLES RELATED, OHIO HEALTH DIRECTOR DOCTOR BRUCE VANDERHOFF SAYS THE MMR VACCINE IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND SAFE. RECOMMENDED TWO DOSE REGIMEN FOR CHILDREN HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE 97% EFFECTIVE AT PROTECTING AGAINST MEASLES. AND WE ALSO KNOW IT IS VERY SAFE. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SPURIOUS CLAIMS IN THE PAST THAT THE VACCINE IS CONNECTED TO AUTISM, BUT THOSE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN DEBUNKED AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A CONNECTION. WELL, THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO WERE UP TO DATE ON THE MMR VACCINE FELL FROM 89.2% IN THE 20 2324 SCHOO Advertisement Ohio health officials speak on nationwide measles outbreak, importance of vaccinations Share Copy Link Copy Ohio health officials provided an update on the nationwide measles outbreak Tuesday.Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health, hosted the press conference, along with Dr. Matthew Washam, an infections disease doctor at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.Officials discussed the outbreak while stressing the importance of parents keeping up to date with their children's vaccinations on the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Vanderhoff said the MMR vaccine is highly effective and safe."The recommended two dose regimen for children has been proven to be 97% effective at protecting against measles, and we also know it is very safe," Vanderhoff said. "There have been some spurious claims in the past that the vaccine is connected to autism, but those claims have been debunked and there is no evidence of a connection."The percentage of students who were up to date on the MMR fell from 89.2 percent in the 2023-24 school year to 88.3 percent in the most recent school year.Measles outbreaks are growing in West Texas and New Mexico. Testing sites and vaccine clinics have opened in outbreak areas and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention arrived in Texas last week to support the response. Still, local health officials say spread could continue for months."You can get measles literally by just being in a room where a person with measles has been recently," Vanderhoff said. "This can happen even up to two hours after the person has left."Late last month, Kentucky health officials confirmed an adult had tested positive for the virus, in FrankfortAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 301 cases have been confirmed as of Thursday, March 13, in 15 states. This year, there have been no reported cases in Indiana or Ohio.