In response to a growing measles outbreak, state health authorities in North Carolina are broadening the availability of the measles vaccine, particularly targeting infants and underinsured adults. The decision comes as community transmission has been confirmed in Western North Carolina, prompting health officials to rethink their current strategies. State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore has advised clinicians to offer the MMR vaccine to infants as young as 6 months in areas experiencing active transmission like Buncombe County.
The majority of the measles cases in North Carolina have been linked to an outbreak in upstate South Carolina. However, recent local transmission in Buncombe County has led to updated vaccination recommendations. Last week, authorities confirmed a case involving a child who was exposed at Mission Hospital’s emergency department in Asheville.
Typically, children receive their first dose of the MMR vaccine at age one, as noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During a recent briefing, Buncombe County Public Health Director Ellis Matheson emphasized the necessity of early vaccination in communities at higher risk.
“The risk for more severe outcomes is the highest in infants under 12 months of age and that includes things like pneumonia, encephalitis… and also death,” Matheson explained. “So that is one reason why this recommendation is made when we are seeing the ongoing community transmission.”
For infants, the elective MMR dose administered before their first birthday serves as an additional safeguard but does not replace the standard two-dose series required for school attendance. Matheson advises parents to consult with their child’s healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of early vaccination.
In addition to infants, the state is extending vaccine coverage to underinsured adults. This initiative is aimed at those whose insurance plans either partially cover the MMR vaccine or entail high out-of-pocket expenses. Eligible individuals can now receive the vaccine at no cost through local health departments and federally qualified health centers.
The measles virus is highly contagious, spreading through airborne respiratory droplets and close contact. Initial symptoms include fever and cough, followed by the appearance of a rash after several days. Currently, North Carolina has confirmed 14 cases, with three new infections in Mecklenburg County. The western region of the state has maintained nine cases, with Buncombe County accounting for six of these, along with additional cases in Polk and Rutherford counties.
