US health officials said that Americans planning to travel outside the country must ensure that they have received measle shots before travelling.
Last week, the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has brought a significant update to its guidance to recommend measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccines for all international travellers, according to the Associated Press.
Previously, the agency primarily focused the shots for those travelling to countries with active measles outbreaks. Now, it says the risk has drastically increased beyond those areas.
Ashley Darcy-Mahoney, a nursing researcher at George Washington University, stated that the modification is a sign of how measles is spreading in the latest ways.
“We’re seeing a shift from localized outbreaks to transmission in transit,” Ashley told the AP.
Darcy-Mahoney highlighted ongoing measles outbreaks in Colorado, which began with an international flight landing in Denver.
According to the updated guidance, all Americans one year and older are required to have two doses of the MMR vaccine and infants six to 11 months old must get one early dose before travelling.
CDC data indicated that more than 1,000 measles cases have been reported across the country.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus that spreads through the air. It may lead to severe complications, especially in young individuals and people with weak immune systems.
