Measles booster

[jantzenb99]

Has anyone traveling from the US to Spain gotten a measles booster shot?

 

[NorthernLight]

I can't answer that, but if you have a concern that your immunity is questionable, ask your doctor for an anti-body check.

Spain -and Europe- likely has the same anti-vaccers as North America, so it becomes a crap shoot on exposure.

 

[C clearly]

More likely, people travelling from Spain to the US should think about the measles booster.

 

[trecile]

I'm sure that many of us of a certain age have had the measles, and are therefore now immune.

 

[JeepsNRoses]

I am of that certain age. ‘Red’ measles at 5.

 

[John Sikora]

Check with your doctor. Based on when you were vaccinated or had measles, you may need a booster. It’s cheap and free with many insurance plans. And safe with little risk. I always check with my travel doc when I’m going out of the country for a month or so. For a 100 bucks (the consult isn’t covered), she tells me what is going on where I’m going and whether anything needs to be taken care of.

 

[trecile]

Check with your doctor. Based on when you were vaccinated or had measles, you may need a booster.

I agree, but if you have actually had the measles, no booster is necessary. If you aren't sure if you had them I would get a booster, as it's probably less expensive than the titer test to determine if you have had the measles and are immune.

This article states "Most people born before 1957 were exposed to at least two major measles outbreaks, which confers immunity... Once a person has had the measles, they are immune for life"

 

[Dorpie]

This article states "Most people born before 1957 were exposed to at least two major measles outbreaks, which confers immunity... Once a person has had the measles, they are immune for life"

Do you know this website well @trecile ? I'd be slightly wary of a site that has "7 health benefits of dark chocolate" as one of the headline articles on its front page.

 

[trecile]

Do you know this website well @trecile ? I'd be slightly wary of a site that has "7 health benefits of dark chocolate" as one of the headline articles on its front page.

Same message from a government site
"Natural immunity: those who got sick with measles earlier in life will be immune afterward, and they won’t get it again. "

 

[Dorpie]

Same message from a government site
"Natural immunity: those who got sick with measles earlier in life will be immune afterward, and they won’t get it again. "

Great. Wasn't questioning the message necessarily, just the source.

 

[trecile]

Great. Wasn't questioning the message necessarily, just the source.

I used the first quote because it was more direct and to the point than many of the more "sciencey" sites.

 

[t2andreo]

I was born in 1953, in the US. The establishment presumes you were infected in this, pre vaccination period. I know I had all of these illnesses as a child.

My counsel is that everyone should get the LIVE virus booster shot before ANY international travel. Everyone flying from off-Europe to Europe will be in an aluminum tube for 7 - 20 hours. This is a perfect infection vector.

If in doubt get the shot...

 

[Leibniz]

More likely, people travelling from Spain to the US should think about the measles booster.

Quite.

 

[trecile]

I was born in 1953, in the US. The establishment presumes you were infected in this, pre vaccination period. I know I had all of these illnesses as a child.

My counsel is that everyone should get the LIVE virus booster shot before ANY international travel. Everyone flying from off-Europe to Europe will be in an aluminum tube for 7 - 20 hours. This is a perfect infection vector.

If in doubt get the shot...

I had the titer test done a couple of years ago so that I could enroll in a university course, and since I had had the measles, it showed that I now have immunity.

 

[holhum]

I had a blood test done and found I had no immunity so I had the vaccination but it is two shots and I had left it too late to have the second before I left as I’m already in Europe. But Dr said 1 was better than none!

 

[t2andreo]

My understanding is that if you have the titration test, and HAVE immunity, you do not need the booster shot.

In my situation it was just s lot faster and easier to get the additional MMR booster inoculation. Each person’s situation is different.

Hope this helps.

 

[alaskadiver]

I was born in 1953, in the US. The establishment presumes you were infected in this, pre vaccination period. I know I had all of these illnesses as a child.

My counsel is that everyone should get the LIVE virus booster shot before ANY international travel. Everyone flying from off-Europe to Europe will be in an aluminum tube for 7 - 20 hours. This is a perfect infection vector.

If in doubt get the shot...

Heck, thanks to the antivaxxers, we have outbreaks of Metin the US now! The recommendation front the CDC is to get a 2nd booster. I had mine years ago in the military. If you’ve only had 1 shot you need a booster. Unless you’ve had the disease and know you are immune.
Personally, I stay current on all vaccines.

 

[t2andreo]

If in doubt, just get the damn booster vaccination. It is not worth the health risk to you, and IMHO inconsiderate of all around you.

This is especially true if you travel on commercial airlines. Those things are aerial disease incubators.

Just freakin DO IT!

 

[Arlene Laskey]

I am a public health nurse in Canada, so very familiar with this issue. Here is a link from Health Canada regarding measles in Europe - https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/travel-health-notices/98.

Most people born before 1957 do have immunity and would not be eligible for vaccine unless traveling to an area with high risk (Spain is not high risk). If born after that it is still a good idea to get the vaccine. In Canada (and most likely your country) the vaccine actually protects for Measles, Mumps and Rubella, so you get a 3 for one deal (and it is covered by health care where I live).

More important probably is to make sure you have a tetanus booster (within 10 years). The chance of getting a tetanus-prone injury (any dirty wound) is a lot higher than measles exposure. Plus the tetanus booster can include whooping cough, another valuable vaccine to have on board (your childhood whooping cough disease probably did not give you lifetime immunity).

Sorry for the length of the post. Main message - talk to your health care provider about recommended vaccines and other precautions.

 

[t2andreo]

I actually agree with the above advice from a professional. In my post I neglected to mention that I DID speak to my GP.

He was the one who said it was a good idea; and that as his practice did not stock the live vaccine, I should source it commercially.

I did, end of story...

 

[firstshirt]

I just got one for my trek on the Rota Vicentina this fall. I will carry documentation for that in case a country decides to require it.