DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Dominican Medical Association (CMD) president, Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero, is calling for awareness regarding the recent measles outbreak in the United States. The outbreak began in a Mennonite community where vaccines are not routine.

According to Dr. Suero, the CMD recommends making sure that children and adults are vaccinated, because the very large numbers of tourists and expats that visit the Dominican Republic can represent a health risk to the unvaccinated.

Measles vaccines are known to be highly effective in preventing the disease which frequently requires hospitalization, and as caused deaths. Local medical protocols call for young children to be vaccinated at 12 months and then, again, at 18 months. Adults can also be vaccinated.

Measles is highly infectious and can infect 90% of the unvaccinated persons that a patient contacts. Measles first appears on...