What special steps should primary care clinicians take if a child comes in with measles or mumps?
Measles is an airborne infection and is probably the most contagious infection there is, so containing it is very important. If you suspect a case—if someone comes in with a fever and a rash that’s consistent with measles—you should put a mask on the patient right away and put him into a negative pressure room or airborne isolation room, with the door closed. That prevents the measles virus from getting out into the air and exposing other people in the clinic or waiting room. Mumps is droplet—rather than an airborne—spread, which means it’s usually spread at distances shorter than 3 feet, so not as many people will end up being exposed. If you recognize that someone has mumps, again, you want to put them into a single room with the door closed. Anyone who is going to be within 3 feet of the patient should wear a surgical mask while interacting with him. What should parents do if they think their child has one of these infections? Parents should call ahead and let the clinic know they’r
Related Questions
- Would it be better to vaccinate my child with separate measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines rather than the MMR vaccine?
- Why should my child have the vaccinations against measles, mumps and rubella singly rather than combined in the MMR?
- How do I decide which option to use for my child’s second vaccination against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella?
