The Arlington County Health Department is warning people that they could be catching measles at their local grocery store.
Authorities say a person traveling from another state visited the Harris Teeter on N. Gleeve Road in Ballston on Monday, July 1, between noon and 4 p.m.
Anyone who visited the store during this period who feels sick and has not been vaccinated against measles or is immunocompromised is asked to contact their health care provider and to isolate at home if they have not been vaccinated.
For more information, see the county press release below.
The Arlington County Public Health Department (ACPHD) has been notified that an individual who was contagiously exposed to a grocery store in Arlington has been confirmed to have measles. The individual is a resident of another state. Out of an abundance of caution, ACPHD is notifying people who were at the location that they may have been exposed.
Below are the dates, times, and locations of potential exposure sites associated with this measles case:
- Harris Teeter: 624B N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA 22203, Monday, July 1, 2024 from 12pm to 4pm
measles It is a highly contagious disease that spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Measles symptoms It usually appears in two stages.
In the first stage, most people experience symptoms such as a fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, runny nose, watery eyes, and cough. These symptoms usually begin 7 to 14 days after infection. The second stage begins 3 to 5 days after symptoms begin, when a rash begins to appear on the face and spreads to other parts of the body. People infected with measles are contagious from 4 days before the rash appears until 4 days after the rash appears.
What if I was in one of the locations listed above at the specified date and time?
- If you have never received the measles vaccine (measles, mumps, or rubella), [MMR] If you have ever had the measles vaccine or a measles-specific vaccine available in other countries, you are at risk of developing measles. People who have been exposed to measles and are at risk of developing it should watch for symptoms until July 22, 2024. If you notice any symptoms of measles, immediately stay home and isolate yourself away from others.Contact your healthcare provider immediately. Call before going to a medical facility or emergency room Tell your doctor that you may have been exposed to measles and ask them to call the local health department, which will help protect other patients and staff.
- If you have had two doses of the measles-containing vaccine or were born before 1957, you are protected and don’t need to do anything.
- If you have received only one dose of the measles-containing vaccine, you are very likely protected and the risk of contracting measles from any of these exposures is very low, but to achieve full immunity, you should ask your health care provider about getting a second dose.
- If you are immunocompromised, consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions or experience symptoms.
Measles is preventable with the safe and effective MMR vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine provide lifelong protection. Virginia has high measles vaccination rates, with approximately 95% of kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles. However, infants under 12 months of age are too young to be vaccinated. These infants and other unvaccinated infants are very likely to become infected if they come into contact with someone who has measles.
If you or your child have not yet been vaccinated: Arlington County Public Health Or contact your healthcare provider to get the first of two doses as soon as possible. To check your vaccination status, call your healthcare provider or VDH Immunization Record Application.
Healthcare providers should always have a high index of suspicion for measles in any clinically compatible case, especially if the patient has had recent measles infection. Measles is an immediately reportable disease. Local Health Department Report suspected cases immediately and arrange for public health testing.
If you have any questions about this potential exposure, please contact the Arlington County Public Health Department’s Infectious Disease Program at 703-228-5657..
