Local Urgent Care Clinics Seeing Spike In Calls Following Confirmed Cases Of Measles
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Doctors at FalconER Urgent Care in Cranberry say they've received at least a dozen calls since the latest measles announcement.
They do not have the vaccine on hand, but are ordering it due to the interest and demand.
"We are actively looking into it, but your primary care doctors offices and pharmacies around you carry these vaccinations so you can get it over there," said Dr. Vikram Singh, FalconER Urgent Care.
Dr. Singh said the calls are good, but he doesn't want anyone with symptoms to walk into the clinic.
"Measles as a disease is very contagious and that is why we do not recommend you come to the clinic and infect other people," said Dr. Singh.
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KDKA sat down Friday afternoon with Dr. John Williams, the infectious disease division head at UPMC Children's Hospital. He said they are taking all the necessary steps to make sure the disease does not enter the hospital.
"What protects my pediatric patients who have weak immune systems from measles is not them getting the vaccine, it's me getting the vaccine so I don't give it to them," said Dr. Williams.
He said at Children's Hospital, the staff are asking all visitors if they've been out of the country and requiring all staff and employees to check on their vaccination status.
"In points of contact so the emergency room department and urgent care clinic, places where sick kids show up, we're making sure everyone knows if there's any suspicion of measles, like those cold symptoms, to put those kids in isolation right away, to put a mask on them, to try to prevent spread," said Dr. Williams.
He said that there's not really any "treatment" for the disease.
"This is one of the challenges with measles and why vaccination is so important because in the early days, measles looks like the flu or any other cold," said Dr. Williams. "People have runny nose, cough, fever, sometimes they have red eyes, but it looks sort of like a normal cold."
Dr. Williams said people are very contagious at that point and that is why prevention is your best bet.
"If you wait until you're sure they have measles, it's too late, so vaccination is really the only effective intervention," said Dr. Williams.
He also said if people do not have their childhood medical records and are unsure about their vaccination, there's no harm in receiving another dose.
"There is no risk in getting an extra dose of the MMR vaccine if you've had it before," said Dr. Williams.
