CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – We’re hearing from a parent whose child was exposed to measles in Iowa’s latest confirmed case.
Monday, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the new case of measles is an adult in eastern Iowa.
The infected person is fully vaccinated and has no known link to the previous measles cases in Iowa, nor had any recent travel outside the state.
Health officials confirmed 10 Potential exposure areas around Eastern Iowa where the individual visited.
One of those includes ‘Fields of Fun’ Daycare, where Martha Martin’s son is enrolled.
Martin spoke with TV9 on the phone this afternoon, and she said she’s frustrated with those who choose not to get vaccinated.
After learning her nine-month-old son had been exposed to measles, Martha Martin took to social media to express her frustrations.
Martin said they found out about the exposure on Friday from Linn County Public Health.
The next day, she took her son to get an immunoglobulin shot to try and decrease his chances of catching the disease, since he was too young to get the vaccine.
“We are extremely careful when it comes to sicknesses. It seems like my son has gotten every single sickness in the book, and we are so careful we get him all of those vaccines, and it’s just like everybody is just choosing to not get vaccinated and harm everybody else,” said Martin.
Linn County Public Health refused to talk to TV9. So we asked Johnson County Public Health… It is recommending parents talk with their pediatrician about getting kids six to 11 months old what’s called ‘dose zero.’
“They call this dose 0 because this dose does not count. Towards a routine series, both would provide extra protection. So, because of this locally acquired case that we’re investigating with our partners, we’re making this recommendation now,” said Sam Jarvis with Johnson County Public Health.
Martin said her son now has to quarantine for 28 days.
“I’m gonna have to use all of my vacation, all of my sick days, and I’ll have to use possibly FMLA,” she said.
She said now it’s just a waiting game.
Martin emphasized she isn’t upset with the daycare, but with those who choose not to get vaccinated.
“It’s just extremely frustrating that nobody’s taking a seriously, and I mean, my son, if he ends up getting it, he’s not vaccinated, he could die. He could have lifelong health problems lifelong health injuries. I mean, this is a really serious disease that was eradicated, and now it’s back just because people do not want to participate in modern medicine,” Martin said.
Health officials with UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s in Cedar Rapids said if you are vaccinated and end up getting infected, the chances of severe disease are lower.
“If you multiply that by all of us getting vaccinated, you know it really reduces the rates of that spreading in other kids who haven’t been vaccinated yet or immunocompromised. It really reduces their risk of getting sick,” said Dr. Evan Diehl, UnityPoint Clinic Vice President and Medical Director for Cedar Rapids.
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