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Doctor answers questions for parents concerned about measles

Three cases of the illness have been reported in Pinellas County, so we took your questions to an expert.
Credit: WTSP
Measles

With all the talk of measles across the Tampa Bay area after three cases were found in Pinellas County, 10News took your questions straight to Dr. Brigitta Mueller at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.

Is it safe to take vaccinated children out to public places with unvaccinated children?

“Vaccinations are given between 12 to 15 months and then again at school age. So if a child has had these it’s no problem. If a small child is over the age of 15 months and has had the immunizations between 12 and 15 months, it shouldn’t be a problem unless there are some special circumstances like weakened immune system or something.”

Are pregnant mothers at risk?

“They should have immunity if they got properly Immunized themselves.”

Can vaccinated children expose unvaccinated children?

“If a vaccinated child gets exposed, they are not transmitting it to anyone else because they can’t get the disease anymore. The vaccine is over 95 percent protective, so chances are this child will not get the measles if they were vaccinated. So they can also not bring it back to another sibling.”

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