The Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) has confirmed a second case of measles. It is likely this person has caught the disease on flight SQ285 which landed in Auckland on 22 February 2018.
The latest case is an Auckland University of Technology (AUT) student and ARPHS is working closely with AUT to determine the immunity of those people who have been in classes with the individual while infectious. Anyone who has been in contact with the student and is not immune is required to stay at home in quarantine to prevent the disease spreading.
It is likely other people around the central business district from March 1 – 6 and the Albany Westfield shopping centre from March 6 between 12 pm – 4 pm may have been exposed to the disease when the student was walking around.
“I urge Aucklanders to protect themselves against measles by getting vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine. The vaccine is free from your GP. Please phone your general practice to discuss whether your vaccinations are up to date.
“Measles is very easily transmitted through coughing, sneezing or simply walking past someone who is infected and breathing their contaminated air. If one person has measles, 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected,” says ARPHS Medical Officer of Health Dr Josephine Herman.
Measles is a highly infectious disease which can have serious complications. Anyone born before 1969 is likely to be immune to the disease without having had the vaccine.
Symptoms of measles include a runny nose, cough, sore eyes, fever, a raised red rash that starts on the face and spreads to the body. If you have symptoms immediately visit your GP or call Healthline for advice on 0800 611 116.
It’s interesting to see words such “determine the immunity of those people” rather than determining whose been vaccinated. Maybe vaccinations aren’t as effective as the pharmaceutical industry claims. Maybe 2 doses of MMR vacine is not enough. How would you know if you’re immune or not, if MMR doesn’t work for everyone?
Vaccinations increase antibodies in the body, however, in some people overtime those antibodies may decline to a level that is ineffective. This would require another dosage in the future to boost your antibodies. This can be measured in a serum titers test. Most people, at least the ones I know, do not test these levels nor redo vaccinations during adulthood. They had their vaccinations as children and leave it at that. I had mine tested only for school due to being in healthcare and was found to have lowered titer levels to one of my vaccinations in the MMR. I got a boost, and now my levels are up again. Many of my peers also realized that they had certain levels for past vaccinations that were no longer effective, and had to get vaccinated again. There is a reason they used “determine the immunity of those people.” It is because they have to be tested for their antibody levels, and this would determine whether they were vaccinated, vaccinated with lowered levels, protected, or even dealing with a new strain. Also, vaccinations decrease the likelihood of catching something due to preventative measures, but it does not make a person 100% immune. Having been vaccinated for Hep B, I still wouldn’t inject myself with a Hep B needle just to prove a point