Measles outbreak prompts Bay Area parents to take precautions
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KGO) -- The major measles outbreak traced to Disneyland has parents in the Bay Area taking precautions.
So far, there are eight confirmed cases of measles in the Bay Area. Now, some parents are adjusting their children's vaccination schedule, while others are avoiding crowds.
From mommy forums to the playgrounds, measles are the current topic of conversation and many are doing what they can to protect their children.
VIDEO: Bay Area school district take measures to tackle measles
The measles vaccine, usually combined with mumps and rubella, is usually given twice. The first when the child's a year old, the second, when the child reaches four.
But San Francisco mom Suzie Feldstein is taking the advice of her son's pediatrician. Her two-year old boy will be getting his second shot next week before they go to Legoland next month.
"I think the more you're in big places with big crowds of people, there are airports, and hotels and amusement parks and all kinds of tourist activities that we'll be attending with big groups of people, so I think that just ups the risk a little bit," Feldstein said.
The outbreak is traced to Disneyland.
At least 70 people in six states and Mexico have gotten sick from the highly contagious disease since mid-December, most are from California, eight are from the Bay Area.
Dr. Yasuko Fukuda is a pediatrician at the California Pacific Medical Center.
She says she's been getting a steady stream of calls from parents worried about the measles, which typically starts out as a cold.
"Pretty sick after a while, the eyes can get red, funny kind of rash," Fukuda said. "If there's a possibility you've been exposed to anybody I would watch for that."
New mom Anne Slater isn't taking any chances.
Her daughter Liv is only four months old, too young to get the vaccine so she's following her pediatrician's advice.
"What we're just trying to do is just be cautious and not take her out in very crowded areas that are enclosed like the Ferry Building, try to stay kind of local in our neighborhood and do shopping there where it's a little less crowded, populated," Slater said.
Just one of things parents are doing to keep the outbreak from getting worse.
For full coverage on the measles outbreak, click here.
