Columbus Public Health Investigating Potential Measles Exposure at Local Public Places
For
Immediate Release
November
30, 2022
Contact:
Kelli
Newman, 614-645-7213, [email protected]
Columbus Public
Health Investigating Potential Measles Exposure at Local Public Places
As part of the ongoing measles outbreak, Columbus Public Health is
investigating confirmed cases of measles who were at several local public
places while infectious with measles.
Measles cases were at these locations during the following dates and times.
- Meijer, 6175 Sawmill Road - Saturday, 11/19/22
from 5:30-8:30 p.m.
- Jesus Power Assembly of God, 5215 Cleveland Ave.
- Sunday, 11/20/22 from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
- Polaris Mall – Macy’s & JCPenney stores,
1500 Polaris Parkway - Friday, 11/25/22 from 6:30-10:30 p.m. (The case did not
visit the food court or children’s play area.)
Any unvaccinated individual at these locations, during these listed times,
is encouraged to watch for symptoms of measles and to go their health care
provider if they are sick. If someone is sick and has symptoms, they should
call their health care provider to let them know that they have potential measles
exposure before going into the provider’s office.
Symptoms of measles appear seven to 21 days after contact with the virus
and can include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. A measles rash
typically appears three to five days after initial symptoms.
Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease that is highly contagious and
spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The most
important thing anyone can do to prevent measles is to get the
measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is safe and highly effective. One
dose of MMR is 93% effective at preventing measles and two doses is 97%
effective at preventing measles.
If your child is 12 months of age or older and has not been vaccinated
with MMR, you should have them vaccinated right away. Columbus Public Health
offers no appointment needed walk-in measles vaccines for anyone one year and
older. MMR vaccines are also available from health care providers.
Columbus Public Health is continuing to investigate 46 confirmed cases of
measles in central Ohio. All cases in the current outbreak are among
unvaccinated children.
Learn more about measles – including local daily case counts – at
Columbus.gov/measles. Anyone with questions can call 614-645-1519.