Leadership message: August is National Immunization Month

Dear Colleagues,

As August is National Immunization Month, let’s review some important vaccine and vaccine-preventable disease issues so we can keep our UC Davis Health family as healthy as possible.

Let’s start with measles – the measles vaccine is safe and very effective. Yet, there have been more cases of measles reported in the U.S. already this year – even compared to the past two years. In fact, the number of measles outbreaks in the U.S. has tripled already this year compared to last year. Measles is one of the most contagious pathogens known to humans, with 90 percent of susceptible contacts becoming infected after breathing contaminated air.

The measles virus may be infectious and suspended in the air for up to two hours after coughing or sneezing. Therefore, people may be infected just by walking into a room after someone contagious with measles has already left. This is important to note: No direct contact is necessary to contract measles. Measles is a serious disease. Prior to widespread dissemination of the measles vaccine in the U.S. in 1963, there were more than three million cases – resulting in 48,000 hospitalizations and 400 to 500 deaths, many of these in children – each year.

Why measles now? This is likely due to post-pandemic travel, combined with a slight fall in vaccination rates – due to inequities in access to healthcare resources, vaccine hesitancy, and disruptions in healthcare delivery. New data from the World Health Organization shows that global immunization efforts stalled in 2023. The result is that >95% measles in the U.S. are import-associated cases.

Winter respiratory viruses

Fall is just around the corner, so it’s time to think about protection against winter respiratory viruses. Everyone six months and older should get the influenza vaccine, which is updated yearly to match expected influenza strains.

In addition, COVID-19 appears to be evolving to a more seasonal pattern. Therefore, the next COVID-19 surge is expected this winter. Like influenza, the COVID-19 vaccine changes to keep up with the most commonly circulating strains. A new formulation will soon be available to match the most common variants. Also, like the influenza vaccine, everyone six months and older should receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine when available.

One more reminder: respiratory syncytial virus (also referred to as RSV). To protect against RSV, maternal or infant RSV vaccination is recommended to prevent severe RSV disease in infants, and the RSV vaccine is recommended for anyone 75 and older or adults ages 60 to 74 at increased risk of severe RSV.

Please stay up to date with vaccines for you and your family. A drop of vaccine precaution is better than a sea of disease regret.

Yours in health,

Dean Blumberg, M.D.
Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Professor, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases