As measles cases rise, health experts urge vaccinations

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Cases of measles have been confirmed as close as Ontario, Canada. Local health experts are concerned it's only a matter of time before someone in Western New York contracts the virus.

"Measles is the canary in the coal mine. It's so infectious that if we have pockets of individuals that aren't vaccinated, or have those lower rates of vaccination, it spreads quite readily," said Dr. Thomas Russo, SUNY distinguished professor and infectious disease expert at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Russo stressed the importance and effectiveness of the MMR vaccine.

"Vaccination does a great job in preventing against infection, but if we have unvaccinated individuals or vaccination rates drop below a 95 percent level, we're going to see infections," Russo said. "Unfortunately that's what's occurring right now in certain parts of the country."

Health experts say the measles vaccine is 93% effective with the first dose and 97% effective with the second.

"It's found to be a very safe and effective method to protect children from a potentially deadly disease and it's really sad that we're seeing in this century a disease that had been eradicated coming back and causing death in children," said Dr. Kathleen Grisanti, president and medical director at the Pediatric & Adolescent Urgent Care of WNY.

Grisanti's Orchard Park location already has procedures in place if a patient shows symptoms.

"We put precautions in place so if a parent brings a child in with a generalized rash and fever, we ask them to wait in the car until it's time for them to be put into a room. We mask up and take precautions for our staff," Grisanti said.

She said it's alarming that hundreds of measles cases have been confirmed just a short distance from Western New York.

"It's very alarming that there's so many cases in Canada," Grisanti said. "With the majority of the cases, over 650 cases, in Ontario, we feel it's only a matter of time before it's going to infiltrate in the Buffalo region."

Local health experts urge parents to get their children vaccinated and talk to their children's pediatrician.