CONWAY, S.C. – With an ongoing measles outbreak in South Carolina ahead of Thanksgiving, travelers may be wondering how to enjoy the holiday but do it safely.
“Keep in mind, measles is highly contagious,” said Conway Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. Paul Richardson.
Richardson said the symptoms mimic those of any viral infection, with the addition of a rash. In most cases, he said, it is not life-threatening.
“The good news is that for a vast majority of patients, it’s a self-limiting illness,” Richardson says. “The bad news is, though, for those small cases who do contract it, it can lead to serious complications, including respiratory failure and things of that nature.”
To prevent the spread from getting worse during holiday travel, Richardson recommends what he calls “common sense measures.”
“First and foremost, if you’re traveling, you don’t want to go somewhere where you know the disease is present,” Richardson says. “So, if you have family members who have contracted the disease, you might just wanna do a FaceTime call with them this holiday season, but the other thing is just be mindful, wash your hands frequently, that’s how we transmit all infections.”
Richardson says the primary concern is for younger children and elderly people contracting measles because they have more compromised immune systems.
What to expect
Symptoms typically begin a week to 12 days (but up to 21 days) after exposure, and start with a cough, runny nose, and red eyes, along with a mild to moderate fever.
Two or three days later, the fever spikes, often as high as 104. At the same time, a red blotchy rash appears, usually first on the face and head, then rapidly spreads down the remainder of the body.
A person with measles is contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after its onset, so someone may be able to spread measles before they know they have the disease. It is important to stay home if you are ill.
If anyone who may have been exposed develops an illness with a fever of 101 or more, cough, runny nose or red eyes, with or without rash, immediately call your doctor and let them know about the exposure and symptoms so that they can tell you what to do next.
Your doctor can make special arrangements to evaluate you without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk.
To keep the public updated on the outbreak, there’s a measles outbreak page with information. Officials said the page will be updated by noon on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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