Kala Hunter did not hesitate to obtain his 2 -year -old son, Brady, fully vaccinated in March while the number of measles cases increased in his western community in Texas.
“Being in the household of the epidemic of measles,” said Hunter, 47, of Lubbock, “it was obvious. If it was prudent to have him vaccinated early, we were going to protect him.”
Harmony Montes, 21, also of Lubbock, said that she felt the same thing. While the epidemic intensified in April, Montes jumped at the opportunity for his daughter, Melody Rocha, or vaccinated during his six -month balance sheet.
“We did not hesitate at all,” said Montes. “I was not going to risk his health.”
Moms represent a recent wave in the parents of Texas who choose to obtain their babies and toddlers the vaccination of measles-mumpllal (MMR) as soon as possible.
Hunter said that his child’s doctor assured him that the second dose of vaccine was safe.
“I trust my pediatrician,” she said. No children had side effects such as fever or rashes suddenly, said Hunter and Montes.
New data from Truveta, a health care and analysis company, show that the percentage of 6 -month -old babies in Texas obtaining measles vaccination in April increased the average of the previous year by more than 30 times.
“This means that parents do not only get the vaccine early, they get it as soon as possible,” said Nina Masters, a senior scientist at Truveta and part of the research team, in an interview with NBC News.
As a rule, the MMR is given in two doses, around the first anniversary of a child, and once again at the time when a child enters kindergarten, at 4 or 5 years old. A dose is 93% effective to prevent measles, according to centers for disease control and prevention. A second dose increases 97%protection.
During the epidemics of measles, however, the first dose can be given from the age of 6 months. If a child has already received the first dose at 12 months, doctors can give the second dose about a month later, said Dr. Ronald Cook, Director of Health at Texas Tech University Health Center in Lubbock and Health Authority for the City.
“Public health measures, which include vaccinations, stop the spread of the virus, even in areas with measles epidemics,” said Cook.
Most of the time, less than 2% of infants are vaccinated early for measles, according to Triverta data. The company used its access to electronic information on health files for tens of thousands of infants in Texas to assess the early absorption of state vaccination. This low percentage is not surprising because the blows are generally not given early unless there is an epidemic.
The data show that the anticipated vaccinations of Texan infants from 6 to 11 months checked in February while the word of the epidemic spreads. The number increased even more in March and April, it was exponentially higher than the percentages of vaccination before the start of the epidemic.
