Lisa M. Lee is an infectious disease epidemiologist at Virginia Tech and serves as senior associate vice president for research and innovation, leading the Division of Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance at Virginia Tech.
Newswise — Virginia Tech infectious disease epidemiologist explains why new measles cases are being reported around the country, not just in Texas, despite the illness being declared eliminated in the U.S. in the early 2000s due to rigorous vaccine uptake.
What factors have contributed to the recent measles outbreak, and why is it spreading so quickly?
“Measles is back because of falling vaccination rates. The side effects of the vaccine are mild and temporary–quite different from the devastating complications of the disease itself,” Lee said.
In Texas, measles is surging due to lack of vaccinations among children; 94% of cases in the outbreak are among people not or unknown to be vaccinated. As parents hesitated to vaccinate, children were left vulnerable to this fast-spreading and extremely contagious disease,” Lee said.
The virus is transmitted through the air — when someone with measles talks, sings, coughs, or sneezes, others can breathe it in and become infected, Lee said.
“It can take months to contain an outbreak. Measles is far more contagious than the COVID-19 virus. A single infected person can transmit the disease to nearly 20 others if they are unprotected by vaccination or prior infection.”
Why should we take measles seriously?
“Measles is a deadly, vaccine-preventable disease. One to three of every 1,000 children infected will die. Many others will experience debilitating complications, including ear infections leading to permanent hearing loss, vision loss, and even inflammation of the brain. In rare cases, there are long-term complications that can be fatal up to 10 years after illness,” Lee said.
How effective is the measles vaccine, and what percentage of the population needs to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity?
“To prevent outbreaks, at least 95% of a community must be fully vaccinated against measles,” Lee emphasized.
The measles vaccine is a two-dose series:
The first dose is recommended at 12 months.
The second dose follows between ages 4 and 6.
“Together, these two doses are 97% effective. Even having just the first in the series provides about 93% protection.”
What actions should communities and individuals take now?
“The most effective way to stop the spread of measles is full vaccination coverage,” Lee said.
Parents: “If you’ve delayed vaccinating your child, now is an excellent time to talk with the child’s doctor to begin the vaccine series.”
Adults: “If you were never vaccinated and have not had measles, it’s not too late to get protected and help prevent your own complications, as well as prevent spreading the disease to those most vulnerable — children and people with weakened immune systems.”
Communities: “Local health leaders should work together to promote vaccine access and education to ensure at least 95% coverage.”
About Lee
is an infectious disease epidemiologist at Virginia Tech and serves as senior associate vice president for research and innovation, leading the Division of at Virginia Tech. She has over 25 years of experience in public health and ethics, including 14 years at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lee has advised the Presidential Bioethics Commission and has been quoted in thousands of media outlets in more than 35 countries on infectious disease topics.
Interview
To schedule an interview, please contact: Margaret Ashburn at [email protected] or 540-529-0814.
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