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Measles as a senior citizen?

I am under house quarantine for a few days, until test results come back later this week showing whether I have measles or not!

I began a trip from Hawaii to New Zealand and Fiji, on December 21st, on a plane full of coughing travelers. I was healthy. A few days into the trip, as we got to Fiji, I was coughing pretty good. Then when New Year’s Eve came along, I was full on sick with chills, coughing and all that fun stuff. I had to miss dinner a few nights, and all the festivities, feeling more comfortable laying in bed instead. Never improved, only got worse.

Then after I returned home after a super long travel day (12 hours in the airport, besides 12 hours flying) and took my first hot shower in 3 days, I noticed a rash on my torso and back. Freaked me out! Next morning (Saturday) I went to the Urgent Care Center to rule out Measles. (I had measles as a kid, I think, and am sure I was immunized as a child, and that should be for life.)

So, got me to thinking about the anti-vaxxer rate here in Hawaii. The public schools do a very good job of making sure everyone is vaccinated. But the Charter and Private schools have a very high rate of “religious exemptions” one even as high as 52% this past school year. It’s these rich kids who can afford trips from Hawaii to New Zealand.

In any case, an idea pops into my head... If travelers are not going to vaccinate themselves or their kids, the LEAST they should do is wear a mask in the airport and on the plane. I won’t mention what else I’d like to make them do!

I'm not sure if I had measles as a baby, but was likely immunized, in the 60’s, which should inoculate me for life. Maybe I've outlived that vaccination, since we are living longer now, or maybe my immune system was low on my travel day.

The CDC lady said it’s possible to contract it more than once, and it’s a milder case and not as contagious. I don’t have spots on my face, so that’s milder.

These anti-vaxxers are putting babies and the elderly at risk. Makes me so mad!

Has anyone here had measles more than once, or late in life? I'm curious about other's experiences.

[hawaiinewsnow.com]measles-outbreak-triggers-concerns-over-hawaiis-low-vaccination-rates/?fbclid=IwAR0_xlfjq33VNfJHg21nvvsvA3l2xTNrwIVWYk2HStJGI5JfRqIQcY-jDTg

Julie808 8 Jan 5
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Just an update for anyone who might care. I do NOT have measles. Yay! However I did learn that 3% of those seemingly immune to measles can still catch it if their immune system is down. That is scary!

I don't know what exactly what I had that gave me the rash and the cough, pink eye, nasal congestion, sore throat etc. If it was strep, I have recovered on my own.

I finally went to the doctor today, after being cleared of measles after a 6 day wait, since my blood sample had to go from Hawaii to Utah for testing. I had a strep throat culture which took 5 minutes and a good talk with the nurse. Don't know what it is/was, but I have antibiotics to knock it out if it doesn't continue to improve.

I still stand that anti-vaxxers should have to go through some sort of extra hoop when traveling or out in small but public spaces. Perhaps anyone with a cough and a fever should be given a mask at the airport. I would have worn one, when I wasn't feeling well on my way home from my trip.

I did wear a mask during my possible contagious period. My 3 year old grandson had only had his first MMR shot, so was vulnerable to measles if exposes, as were the other elderly family members I was traveling with.

This ended happily with a non-measles outcome, but it sure was a scare!

I am happy you did not show up on the evening news! But just Awful that this was even a tiny possibility!!!

1

Is it possibly strep? I've heard it can make a body rash. But no, the vaccine isn't lifelong in many cases. I had to be revaccinated at 15 because there was an outbreak where I was living.

Jennw Level 4 Jan 6, 2020

I will look into rash with strep - I did have a sore throat.

Confirmed today I have high immunity for against measles, bus still no results on whether I actually have measles now.

It is thought that 95-95% of those born before 1957 are immune to measles.

2

This is what the anti-vaxxers ignore: Adults get this stuff too, and many times far more severely than kids. Your 88-year-old grandma with Whooping Cough is likely to break ribs with the force of the coughing, and end up in an oxygen tent, if not worse. Thanks, you germy little contagion-carriers!
Best of luck to you........

My abs hurt so much from coughing! But I remember hurting this much when I was younger too.

If this is indeed measles I have (I will know tomorrow) it will likely make the local news on my small island and the statewide television news. Wonderful.

I will likely go on a bit of a rampage about anti-vaxxers. Not only did my 'once in a lifetime' vacation to New Zealand and Fiji get ruined by spending much of it laying in bed coughing, I have now exposed an unknown number of people on my flight back home. Grr.

2

I asked my doctor about the measles shot when this current outbreak came out. I believe I had all three measles when I was a child. She told me that if I had them, I didn't need a booster, but if I had the vaccine I would because they are finding out the vaccine doesn't last.

My two youngest children haven't had any vaccines (yes, I was an anti-vaxxer when I was young but I grew up). They are looking into getting updated on theirs (they're 29 and 30, so they would have to do it themselves). Luckily my daughter didn't follow my paranoia as my grandson is fully vaccinated.

Very interesting. I honestly can't remember if I had measles as a baby. My mom is no longer around to update me on my health records. I am only assuming I had a vaccine as a child, but I'm thinking that as I am getting older, perhaps my immune system is weakening. I will see what the doctors say when my results come back. I'm thinking a booster can't hurt, but will ask my doctor.

@Julie808 You're older than I am by two years. If I remember correctly the vaccine wasn't widely available until 1968, so you probably didn't get it.

0

If you had the measles you probably will have a lessened response to the pathogen. Hand washing is vital in hygiene but it has been found that the boys do it less than women. You will be fine if your immunity is strong. Get well soon. Why I don't leave my house.

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Correct me if I am wrong, but I thini I read somewhere that New York was the first state to legislate a religious exemption for vaccinations, and they have now repealed that exemption. I expect other states will follow suit as people sicken.

3

How frightening and what a mess it made of your trip. I hope you recover soon.

My stepdaughter who is about 55 now had a very dangerous bout of measles in 1981. I'm guessing she was vacinated about 1968. The doctors said they had discovered that there were several batches of the vaccination that were not any good in that era.

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Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

skado Level 9 Jan 5, 2020
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Didn't get it again was vaccinated again in army 1970 so I really don't know

4

Here in New York state we have a similar problem with high exemption rates in religious schools. The state legislature put a stop to that a few months ago ... no more religious exemptions. They did this because measles is resurgent here.

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