In what is touted as the worst measles season in the US in 30 years, the cases have now crossed the 700 mark, calling for urgent action against the deadly disease. With fresh cases discovered in Kansas, Ohio and Indiana, the outbreak has now spread to 25 states, as per CDC data.
The measles spread is being mostly reported among children, especially those who are unvaccinated. Two unvaccinated children with no underlying conditions died of measles complications in the current outbreak. As many as 80 people have been hospitalized. In total three have died in the current outbreak.
As the USA grapples with the deadly virus, HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy’s unconventional approach to tackling the measles crisis has also been making headlines. From recommending unscientific remedies like Vitamin A and cod liver oil, to saying the measles vaccine protection wanes quickly, RFK Jr’s measles response remains under intense scrutiny.
Measles vaccines are known to offer lifetime shield against the disease. However, many wonder if there are exceptions to this. Is it possible to get infected by the virus despite taking the vaccine? Has any fully-vaccinated individual died due to measles? Here are some FAQs answered.
Can you get measles after getting vaccinated against it?
The answer is yes. It is called a breakthrough infection. They are rare, but may happen due to two reasons. The person may not develop an immune response after vaccination for some reason, which is quite rare in healthy people. Their immunity may have waned over time, especially if one dose is taken.
Breakthrough infections are known to occur where there is a community outbreak or close contact with a sick person. Exposure to a large dose of the virus may cause it.
The measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine however protects in 97% of cases. According to the CDC, about 3 out of 100 people who get two doses of MMR vaccine will get measles if exposed to the virus. The first dose is given at 12-15 months of age and the second dose is usually administered between 4-6 years.
As per CDC, 97% of the people infected with measles in the current outbreak are either unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status.
Has any person vaccinated with measles vaccine died in the past?
A CDC spokesperson told TODAY.com that only one person died due to measles despite vaccination. This isolated case happened where only one dose of MMR vaccine was administered.
Since 2001, there has only been one documented case of a breakthrough measles infection leading to death, and that person was immunocompromised and had received one dose of the MMR vaccine, not two, said the CDC spokesperson.
“As far all of the CDC reports and the medical literature, I could not find any history of a death that occurred in an immunologically normal person who’d been fully vaccinated,” Dr. Andrew Pavia, professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah and fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America told the outlet.
“I also have been going through the literature, and I can find no reports of anyone who has died from measles after having received a full vaccination schedule,” Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine told TODAY.com.
A study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, 4,056 confirmed measles cases reported from 2001–2022 were analysed. Around 475 breakthrough cases were identified and they had lower rates of complications, with the least severe disease among twice-vaccinated persons, it was found.
Zero deaths from measles were reported among people who were fully vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine.
However, experts say it’s technically not impossible, but such cases would be rare.
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