Prevention is and has always been better than the cure. Coming from a health-related profession, it is my belief that preventing disease is better than waiting for its onset and seeking treatment afterwards. When I learned about the recent measles outbreak in the Philippines, I was quite alarmed because not only is it dangerous for the little ones, but it can also easily spread to the most vulnerable. Some people may take measles lightly because they do not know the extent of how contagious it is or maybe they are not that familiar with the disease itself, or what the symptoms are.

Measles can be spread through breathing droplets that come out from an infected person when he/she sneezes or coughs. It can also spread when you touch the surface where droplets have settled and you place your hands near entry points such as your nose or mouth.

It is important to know the initial symptoms in order for proper treatment and care to be applied accordingly. Initial symptoms may include fever, tiredness, cough, runny nose, sore eyes and throat, and photophobia or having discomfort while looking at light. People who experience these symptoms may downplay them because these are commonly associated with other illnesses. These initial symptoms usually worsen after three to five days. Afterwards, rashes will appear and spread across the body, which can last from four to seven days. Before the appearance of rashes, some people may notice the development of small greyish white spots in their mouth, although some won’t have this symptom at all. Measles typically lasts about 10 days. However, this time frame is very crucial; if proper treatment is not done at the soonest possible time, it can lead to death – particularly for little children.

If one survives and is treated for measles, there is no 100 percent assurance they will be completely well; since measles is considered a severe disease, it can be followed by bacterial pneumonia, diarrhea, middle ear infection, eye infection, or laryngitis. Uncommon complications may include hepatitis, eye misalignment, or meningitis. Though considered rare, it can also cause a brain infection, which may result in death or permanent brain damage. In addition, brain damage may not be evident until many years later.

Also, a pregnant woman who contracts measles may be at risk for miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery of the baby, or low birth weight for the baby.

Given these facts, we now have a clear overview of how serious measles can be and we should not take it for granted, especially at the expense of the lives of our loved ones – children and other vulnerable populations, such as those who are pregnant, have weak immune systems, malnourished, or chronically ill.

If it is determined that you have measles, you are responsible for not spreading the disease to others. This means you should avoid going out – including school and work – for at least four days at the start of your rash. The time from which an infected person can infect others is usually 24 hours before the onset of the initial symptoms to at least four days after rash appearance.

What are the steps to prevent measles?

The best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated with MMR (measles, mumps, rubella). I understand there are some who are adamant and scared to get their children (or themselves) vaccinated because of the recent Dengvaxia scare or the false reports claiming vaccines cause autism in children. However, we should not let our fears become a hindrance to living better and healthier lives. We should learn from this mistake and the lives loss, as well as the thousands of reported measles cases, and understand vaccines are indeed important.

What we should do, however, is to be aware of the vaccines we are taking by educating ourselves. For instance, the measles vaccine is created from live, attenuated viruses. This means the vaccine itself is actually a weakened virus that cannot survive in a person who has a healthy immune system; thus, it can be injected into a person who is healthy.

However, people who have weak immune systems should not take this vaccine because the body may find the weakened virus strong. In these cases, the weakened virus will thrive and may cause an infection. Pregnant women should also wait until they have given birth to get the MMR vaccine. The waiting time is just a precaution as not to harm the baby inside. Also, this vaccine should not be given to people who have had severe reactions to previous MMR inoculations, as well as those with allergies to gelatin or neomycin (antibiotic).

Aside from the vaccine, it is advisable to postpone travel and going out until the outbreak has been cleared. As measles is airborne, it is also best to wash your hands often. We have all been educated on how important washing hands are in preventing communicable disease. Handwashing is a classic to live by. You may also use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if water and soap isn’t available.

When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth with tissue or your sleeve to ensure droplets are contained – don’t ever use your hands in covering; if you need to touch any part of your face, make sure your hands are clean. Also, avoid close contact with people who are sick as much as possible.

If all of us are aware of how to stop spread the disease, as well as protect ourselves from contracting illnesses, there will be big progress in fighting measles and eradicating it despite the outbreak. This is not just a job for medical professionals and the Department of Health – it is ours, too.

Keep safe and wishing everyone stays healthy!/WDJ