Protect Yourself & Be Informed!
New York State requires all students taking six or more credits on campus be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) The single most effective way to protect yourself from this serious disease is to be vaccinated. You submitted proof of two MMR vaccines when you began here at SUNY Broome.
There has been a recent measles outbreak in several areas of Brooklyn. Spring Break is next week and we’d like to arm you with information about what measles may look like and how you can protect yourself. The Centers for Disease Control has a great website that contains tons of information, including pictures of what measles may look like, answers to many questions about measles and much more! For more information, click on the CDC link below.
Measles starts with a fever, runny nose, red eyes and sore throat. It is followed by a rash that spreads over the body. Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing.
Very few people — about three out of 100 — who get two doses of measles vaccine will still get measles if exposed to the virus. Experts aren’t sure why. It could be that their immune systems didn’t respond as well as they should have to the vaccine. But the good news is fully vaccinated people who get measles are much more likely to have a milder illness. And fully vaccinated people are also less likely to spread the disease to other people, including people who can’t get vaccinated because they are too young or have weakened immune systems.
When you’re home for Spring Break, if there is a family member or friend who has been diagnosed with the measles and you’re concerned that you may have been exposed, contact your physician for more information and a consultation.
Have a wonderful and safe Spring Break!
