Montclair Health Department Provides Residents With Measles Information

As the number of measles cases continues to increase across the country, the Montclair Health Department has provided residents with information about the highly contagious disease.

The health department said there is only one reported case of measles in the state of New Jersey.

The Montclair Health Department is encouraging parents to review their children’s immunization records or call their doctor or health care provider to check their immunization status. Children between the ages of one and four years old should have received their first or second MMR vaccine, the Montclair Health Department said in a news release.

Montclair Health Officer Susan Portuese encourages everyone to make sure they are up-to-date with vaccines and says it is especially important for children in school and in daycare, as children younger than one year of age are not eligible to receive the measles vaccine until after they reach their first birthday.

Measles is a very contagious disease and is easily spread through coughing and sneezing, the health department said. Additional illnesses can be caused by measles, including pneumonia, swelling of the brain, and may results in hospitalization and high medical costs, according to the Montclair Health Deparment.

The Montclair Health Department hosts immunization clinics on the first and third Mondays of each month, between 9 a.m. and noon, and offers various immunizations, including the MMR vaccine.

For more information, visit the New Jersey Department of Health website or contact the Montclair Health Department by calling 973-509-4974.