Community Strong

As a physician and as a parent, I’ve never seen a case of measles. I’m not alone. The World Health Organization declared measles eliminated in the United States in 2000, thanks largely to an extremely effective vaccination program.

But measles is back. In Texas alone, hundreds of cases have been identified and one school-aged child has died from measles just since late January. We have not had an outbreak in Central Oregon, but cases surged in the state last year and just last week, the Oregon Health Authority urged people to check their immunity and get vaccinated against the disease.

Because of the Centers for Disease Control’s recommended childhood immunization schedule, measles has been an afterthought for decades in America — if families thought about it at all. For many, receiving the MMR vaccine, which stands for measles, mumps and rubella, has been as routine as getting dressed in the morning and brushing teeth at night.

However, measles remains a serious disease: Airborne and extremely infectious, it can cause severe illness, complications and even death. Before there was a widely available vaccine, an estimated 48,000 people were hospitalized and 400 to 500 people died of measles in the U.S. each year.

Because it is so contagious, measles is a significant community health problem, and I firmly believe community challenges require collective solutions. With that in mind, I hope you’ll watch this video:

Our Central Oregon health care community is small, but strong. Our providers often work across organizations on important issues that impact us all. A handful of local pediatricians meet regularly to discuss emerging public health concerns for our kids. When Dr. Suzanne Mendez, a pediatric hospitalist at St. Charles, said this group was concerned about measles and wanted to work together on messaging that would encourage curiosity and conversation between parents and providers, we jumped at the chance to help.

I want to personally thank Dr. Julie Ansbaugh of Central Oregon Pediatric Associates, Dr. Michelle Mills of Summit Health and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Ellie Millan of Mosaic Community Health for joining Mendez and her fellow St. Charles physician, Dr. Carey Allen, in the video. And I want to thank COPA, Summit and Mosaic for their vital partnership as we all work together to ensure Central Oregon is a safe and healthy place to live.

Community challenges require collective solutions. Here it is in action.

Sincerely,
Steve