Sacramento and Stanislaus counties are at a \u201chigher risk,\u201d while San Joaquin County is at a \u201cvery high risk,\u201d the interactive map says.<\/p>\n
SACRAMENTO, Calif. \u2014 ABC News shared an interactive map<\/a> earlier this month showing measles risk levels nationwide. San Joaquin County<\/a> is at a \u201cvery high risk,\u201d meanwhile Sacramento<\/a> and Stanislaus<\/a> counties are slightly lower at \u201chigher risk.\u201d<\/p>\n The map shows the vaccination rate of children under 5 by county and zip code to help determine the risk of disease in any given area. ABC News sourced data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Nature Health to create it.<\/p>\n Measles is a contagious virus that is probably one of the most infectious agents affecting humankind, according to Dr. Thea Papasozomenos, public health officer for Stanislaus County.<\/p>\n It is airborne and can spread via direct contact with droplets from coughing or sneezing, she said. It can linger, and people who have been in the same room as someone \u2014 even after an infected person has left \u2014 could be exposed. It spreads easily among those who are not immunized against it. Those who are infected are not supposed to interact with others.<\/p>\n Measles is a self-limiting virus for many people, and they will recover on their own. Severe outcomes, such as pneumonia, encephalitis or death, are more likely in people with compromised immune systems, for example, pregnant women or children under 5.<\/p>\n The best way to prevent it? The measles vaccine, Dr. Papasozomenos said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s an incredibly effective and safe vaccine,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat we call the vaccine efficacy for the recommended two doses of the vaccine of measles is 97%. That’s incredibly high.\u201d<\/p>\n
The vaccination rate of children under 5 in San Joaquin County is 59.99%, according to ABC News\u2019 map. With less than 60% of the group vaccinated, there is a \u201cvery high risk\u201d level of measles, the data shows.<\/p>\n \u201cVery high risk\u201d is the highest risk the ABC News map displays, followed by:<\/p>\n Higher risk: 60-69% vaccinatedMedium risk: 70-79% vaccinatedLower risk: 80-84% vaccinatedLowest risk: 85%+ vaccinated <\/p>\n In response to an inquiry about the ABC News map, San Joaquin County shared with ABC10 data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that showed, for the 2023-2024 school year, 96.3% of kindergarten students within the county had two or more doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.<\/p>\n
The vaccination rate of children under 5 in Sacramento County is 68.32%, and the county is at a higher measles risk, per ABC News.<\/p>\n Approximately 68% of children under 5 in Sacramento County have received at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, according to California Immunization Registry (CAIR) data shared with ABC10 by Sacramento County officials. When looking specifically at children ages 4-6 who have received the full two-dose series, 2024 data indicates coverage is approximately 68%.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important to note that the first dose of MMR is recommended at 12\u201315 months, and the second dose is recommended at ages 4\u20136 years or prior to school entry,\u201d Sacramento County Public Health spokesman Casey Camacho said via email. \u201cThis means some younger children included in the under-5 group may not yet be age-eligible for vaccination.\u201d<\/p>\n Approximately 96.2% of 5-year-old children in Sacramento County have received at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, officials said.<\/p>\n According to CDPH data, 96.4% of kindergarten students in Sacramento County had two or more doses of the MMR vaccine in the 2023-24 school year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCAIR is not a fully comprehensive registry, as the statewide mandate for providers to enter vaccines began in 2022. As a result, coverage estimates are generally more complete for younger children,\u201d Camacho said. \u201cThe estimates for children under 5 are informed by CAIR data and national modeling used to generate county-level estimates.\u201d<\/p>\n Sacramento County Public Health epidemiologists expect to have the 2025 data in the coming weeks, but the 2024 data represents the most complete information currently available, according to Camacho.<\/p>\n
The vaccination rate of children under 5 in Stanislaus County is 65.52%, and the county is at a higher measles risk, per ABC News.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking at Stanislaus County vaccine registry data for MMR vaccines given in age group 0-4, the Nature (Health) article estimate is probably a close estimate of percent of children in this age group who have received 1 dose of MMR vaccine,\u201d Stanislaus County Health Services Agency spokeswoman Lise Talbott said via email. \u201cDepending on the method of calculation, our team gets somewhere between 65-71%.\u201d<\/p>\n Approximately 96.6% of kindergarten students in Stanislaus County had two or more doses of the MMR vaccine in the 2023-24 school year, Talbott said.<\/p>\n Dr. Papasozomenos said that while the first MMR vaccine dose is recommended after 12 months of age, children 6-11 months old who travel internationally or to parts of America where there are known outbreaks should get an MMR vaccine.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will not count towards their two-dose series,\u201d Dr. Papasozomenos said. \u201cThey will need to repeat that dose after 12 months of age. But if\u2026they’re going to be traveling in that area, it’s good to try to get them at least some protection on board before they travel.\u201d<\/p>\n Usually, there is a two-week waiting period for immunity to develop, so the dose should be given two weeks before anticipated travel, she said.<\/p>\n
\nMeasles risk level \u2018very high\u2019 in San Joaquin County <\/p>\n
\nSacramento County <\/p>\n
\nStanislaus County <\/p>\n