January 06, 2024
Zach Tuggle/News Journal/USA Today Network
The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine will be available for free at City Health Centers; while at least 93% of children fully vaccinated against measles by age 6, the recent outbreak of measles started in unvaccinated children.
At least three new possible measles cases have emerged as of yesterday, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health confirmed. That brings the official number of cases from the measles outbreak to five confirmed cases and three presumed cases.
Out of those cases, three patients have been hospitalized with measles. The three additional cases come from the same children's day care facility, where one infected child attended in late December. This breach of quarantine resulted in two other children being infected with measles; they were hospitalized and later released.
Due to these ongoing developments, the city government is starting regular press releases for the public regarding the outbreak. Meanwhile, the Philly health department is working with affected healthcare facilities, which includes Jefferson Health and CHOP, to identify those infected and who they may have been exposed to.
The majority of Philly residents need not worry about infection as they are likely already vaccinated, with 93% of children fully vaccinated against measles by the age of 6. The health department strongly recommends anyone who has not been vaccinated yet to do so, relaying yesterday that vaccines are at the ready in City Health Centers.
The MMR vaccine, which protects recipients from measles, mumps and rubella, is available at all City Health Centers. And for an unspecified "limited time," walk-in appointments are available for the vaccine at Health Center 3 (555 S 43rd St.), Health Center 4 (4400 Haverford Ave.) and Health Center 5 (1900 N 20th St.), Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
These vaccines are free at City Health Centers to any Philadelphia resident, provided they have proof of residency by ID or even a piece of mail addressed to them.
