Post : Joseph Ladapo on the Florida Measles Outbreak
URL : [link removed]
Posted : February 22, 2024 at 1:01 am
Author : Vincent Iannelli, MD
Tags : 2024 measles outbreaks, contagious, exemptions, Florida measles outbreak, Joseph Ladapo, quarantine
Categories : Immunization News

Have you heard what Joseph Ladapo, the Surgeon General of Florida, has said about their ongoing measles outbreak.

[link removed] Ladapo is right, measles is highly contagious and experts typically recommend that susceptible children and adults (typically those who are intentionally unvaccinated) are quarantined until an outbreak is over.

It has a lot of health experts scratching their heads...

Joseph Ladapo on the Florida Measles Outbreak

To be fair, Joseph Ladapo does get several things right about measles ( [link removed] ) , including that:

* Individuals with a history of prior infection or vaccination who have received the full series of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) immunization are 98% protected ( [link removed] ) and are unlikely to contract measles. - True

* Up to 90% of individuals without immunity will contract measles ( [link removed] ) if exposed. - True

* Because of the high likelihood of infection, it is normally recommended that children stay home until the end of the infectious period... - True

* When measles is detected in a school, it is normally recommended that individuals without history of prior infection or vaccination stay home for up to 21 days. - This is mostly true - although they sometimes have to stay home under quarantine ( [link removed] ) for up to 42 days or two incubation periods

* ...the burden on families and educational cost of healthy children missing school... - True. Missing several months of school is a big burden for children and their families. That's why most choose to get their kids vaccinated ( [link removed] ) and protected!

He gets a lot of things really wrong too!

* ...due to the high immunity rate in the community... - False. The immunity rate in the community is not very high. In fact, although we don't know exactly how many kids in this school are fully vaccinated and protected against measles, only 89% of kindergarten students are vaccinated. That's well below herd immunity levels ( [link removed] ) of protection needed to prevent outbreaks of measles.

All children presenting with symptoms of illness should not attend school until symptoms have fully subsided without medication. - False. Children with measles can be contagious for up to four days before they have a rash and even know that they have measles, up to four days after the rash appears. Waiting for exposed and susceptible kids to develop symptoms ( [link removed] ) before they are sent home leads to a lot of other people getting exposed.

DOH is deferring to parents or guardians to make decisions about school attendance. - What? Florida already allows parents to easily get immunization exemptions and now they want to allow intentionally unvaccinated children to stay in school during outbreaks? What about the risk to children and adults with true medical exemptions who can't be vaccinated?

What doesn't Joseph Ladapo say?

As this Florida elementary school ( [link removed] ) confirms its 6th case, he fails to mention that the school is holding multiple vaccination events to get kids caught up.

He also fails to mention that a dose of the MMR vaccine, if given within 72 hours of exposure ( [link removed] ) , can protect you from getting measles!

Nor does he mention that measles is a life-threatening disease ( [link removed] ) !

More on Joseph Ladapo

* The Brady Bunch Measles Episode ( [link removed] )

* Remembering Measles ( [link removed] )

* Why Are You Still Worried About the MMR Vaccine? ( [link removed] )

* Costs of a Measles Outbreak ( [link removed] )

* The Unvaccinated Child ( [link removed] )

* Answers To Frequently Asked Questions About Immunizations ( [link removed] )

CDC – Stay Alert for Measles Cases  ( [link removed] )

WHO – Global measles threat continues to grow as another year passes with millions of children unvaccinated ( [link removed] )

* Measles transmission during a large outbreak in California ( [link removed] )

* Broward County Immunization Coverage ( [link removed] )

* DOH-BROWARD ISSUES MEASLES HEALTH ADVISORY ( [link removed] )

* Measles erupts in Florida school where 11% of kids are unvaccinated ( [link removed] )

* Immunization Levels in Florida Kindergartens ( [link removed] )

* CBS News Miami looks at South Florida school vaccination rates, health concerns ( [link removed] )

* Unvaccinated Florida kids exposed to measles can skip quarantine, officials say ( [link removed] )

* Another Year, Another Measles Outbreak ( [link removed] )

* No Vaccine? No Problem! Florida Wants Your Unvaccinated Kids In School During a Measles Outbreak ( [link removed] )

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