The Ohio Department of Health announced an outbreak of measles March 25, with a reported 10 cases in Ashtabula County.
Knox County and surrounding counties have also been exposed to the virus through an infected visitor.
The outbreak marks the 6th in the U.S. this year with 607 total cases reported, according to the Center for Disease Control.
97% of people who have been infected with the disease so far this year were not vaccinated against it.
In addition, the 10 people infected in Ohio were not vaccinated.
Measles, or rubeola, is primarily a childhood viral infection that spreads through touching contaminated surfaces or through the air when a contaminated person coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC.
Symptoms include fever, dry cough, inflammation of the nose and throat, white spots in the mouth and inner cheek and large rashes all over the body, according to Mayo Clinic.
Although measles used to be quite common, the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine makes the virus easily preventable. The CDC recommends getting two doses of the MMR vaccine, one at 12 to 15 months old and one at 4 to 6 years old, which will last through adulthood.
Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the ODH, encouraged people concerned about the disease to get themselves and their children vaccinated.
“This disease can be very serious, even deadly, but it is almost entirely avoidable by being properly vaccinated. Measles is especially dangerous for young children, so I strongly urge all parents across Ohio to make sure your children are vaccinated. It is a crucial layer of protection that can save lives,” Vanderhoff wrote in a press release.
Despite the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine, Rebekah Crawford, an assistant professor in the College of Health Sciences and Professions, said people are becoming increasingly hesitant toward vaccines, which she attributes to increased vaccine misinformation and disinformation on social media and a generally low level of health and science literacy.
Crawford also said the pandemic instilled vaccine fears in many people.
“A lot of people didn’t understand or were nervous about newer technology that was used in the COVID vaccines,” Crawford said. “The concerns that various communities had about either being required or encouraged to take and accept the COVID vaccines have spilled over and are now spreading and fueling concerns and anxiety about routine childhood and adolescent vaccines.”
Crawford also explained how outbreaks such as measles can affect vulnerable people if vaccination rates continue to go down.
“We have to remain focused on people who are immunocompromised or who have other health issues that legitimately mean that they cannot accept a vaccine, and people like that will rely on herd immunity,” Crawford said. “Very young infants cannot accept the MMR vaccine, and so there are a lot of new moms right now, with the measles outbreak, that legitimately feel like they can’t even leave the house with their new baby.”
Crawford also said the outbreak has the potential to affect college campuses, where congregate living and spending time in crowded places provide opportunities to spread infectious diseases.
However, Brock Evans, a senior studying nursing, said he does not think an outbreak like measles would stop OU students from going out and partying.
“I really don’t feel like anyone would care,” Evans said. “We really are a party school. I don’t feel like anyone’s going to stop doing what they do.”
Evans also said he does not feel worried about the outbreak, and if it came to OU, he would continue his normal activities.
“Because I haven’t heard of it and it has not affected me, I am pretty okay (with the outbreak),” Evans said. “I feel like since I’m a nursing major, I’m washing my hands a lot and I’m kind of a germaphobe, so I feel like I would keep my daily activities.”
