Doctors in the Bay Area are urging residents to get vaccinated for measles as cases continue to rise across the county and state.
Health officials said the risk of exposure in the Bay Area is pretty low, but Los Angeles County reported its first measles case of 2021. In Fresno County, officials confirmed the case in an unvaccinated man.
Although officials said it's just a precaution, they urge the community to get vaccinated.
"We’re taking this opportunity to remind people in the Bay Area of the importance of the measles vaccine," said Krishna Surasi, the assistant public health officer at Santa Clara Department of Public Health. "The [vaccine] is safe and the most effective way to prevent infection with measles."
Only three months into 2025, cases of the virus are already surprising last year's total. The vast majority, however, have been in Texas.
One case was tracked to an unvaccinated school-aged child in that state who died last month.
In Fresno, the county's Department of Public Health reported the case this week to a man who felt sick after returning from an international trip.
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"He was not vaccinated with the measles vaccine and also had international travel," said Rais Vohra, the county's interim health officer.
Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Californa San Francisco, said patients should check with their doctors on if they should receive the vaccine.
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"You could ask your healthcare provider to do an antibody test," he said. "[If]you get a number back, if the number is zero or low, you can talk about getting a booster, if the number is high, no worries."
Chin-Hong sid the vaccine is 97% effective with one dose and 93% with one shot.
The CDC reports measles can lead to serious complications and can be dangerous for babies and young children. Symptoms usually begin to appear seven to 14 days after infection, per the CDC.
It typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny rose and red watery eyes. A few days later, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth and then a rash. The rash will usually begin as flat red spots on the face and then spread downward the neck, arms, legs and feet.
"If you are immunized and up to date on your measles or MMR shots, you shouldn't have anything to worry about," Chin-Hong said.
