READING, Pa. — “We don’t want to sound the alarm, but we want people to be aware,” said Mike Toledo of the Hispanic Center on Facebook.
“We put out a post on our Facebook page just to really, again, to educate, to engage our community, to make them aware that this was happening,” Toledo said.
The latest numbers involving measles are concerning to many residents. Pennsylvania has reported more than 400 measles cases this year, including four cases in Berks.
State health officials say one of two Lancaster County residents whose deaths were associated with measles was an infant. Officials say both people who died were unvaccinated.
“Being as close as we are to Lancaster County, I thought it was critically important for our community just to be aware, to understand that this is happening close to us here in Berks County,” Toledo said.
And with kids back in school, Toledo’s message is to check your vaccination status and know what symptoms to watch for.
“With schools back, it’s so critically important because we know that the measles are so contagious,” Toledo said.
“The first thing they should do is, number one, contact their primary care physician,” he added.