Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Health are warning the public of possible measles exposures at the Please Touch Museum as well as a Main Line CVS.
According to health officials, a person who likely has measles may have exposed other people to the disease at the following locations at the following times:
- CVS Pharmacy, 316 E. Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, Pa.: Sunday, Dec. 28, from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
- Please Touch Museum, Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, Pa.: Monday, Dec. 29, from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
While the vaccine for measles is highly effective, the following people are at risk of becoming infected if they have had contact with an infected person:
- Babies less than a year old who are too young to have received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine
- People who were vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine, which was used from 1963 through 1967, who have not yet been revaccinated
- People born after 1957 who have only received one dose of MMR vaccine
- People who refused vaccination
- People from parts of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or circulating measles
Symptoms of the measles begin one to two weeks after exposure. They include a runny nose, watery eyes, cough and high fever. After four days, a raised, red rash begins to spread on the face, down the body and out to the arms and legs. The rash normally lasts four to seven days.
A person with measles can spread the virus to others for four days before and four days after the rash begins. It can be spread through sneezing and coughing, touching contaminated objects and direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions. Infected droplets and secretions can remain contagious on surfaces for up to two hours.
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Complications from the measles can include ear infection, diarrhea, pneumonia, inflammation of the brain and even death. Measles can also cause miscarriages or premature delivery in pregnant woman.
For more information on measles and the MMR vaccine, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health website or call the Health Department at 1-877-PA-HEALTH.
