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Third dose of vaccine may be good idea

Sun - 3/16/2017

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an alarming report last week on the mumps.

As of March 4, the CDC says it has received 1,242 reports of the mumps.

In 2016, there were 5,311 cases reported for the year, and in 2012? There were only 229. However, just a couple of months into 2017, and already, the agency has received 1,242 reports of the illness.

Mumps is a contagious virus spread via saliva or mucus when an infected person sneezes, coughs or talks, or by sharing items such as cups or eating utensils. It can also be spread when infected people touch objects or surfaces with unwashed hands, which are then touched by others, the CDC reports.

Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness and loss of appetite, as well as swollen salivary glands. The CDC reports that symptoms usually appear 16-18 days after infection, and most people who get the illness recover completely within a few weeks.

While the symptoms of mumps don't sound much worse than other viral illnesses, the complications can be severe, including inflammation of the brain, the testicles, the tissue covering the brain and spinal cord, the ovaries and breast tissue, the CDC reports.

However, the MMR vaccine - measles, mumps and rubella - provides some protection against the illness. The CDC notes that prior to 1967, the mumps was a common childhood disease, but thanks to the vaccination, there has been a 99 percent decrease in mumps cases.

The elevated number of cases this year has the CDC now debating if mumps immunity decreases over time, and whether or not there would be benefits to an additional booster shot, the Washington Post reported. As it stands now, children get two doses of the vaccination.

But would a third dose help? It's a good question to ask. The illness especially impacts those in close quarters, such as college students living in dorms, those playing on the same sports teams, or children sharing a classroom.

For those populations who are especially at risk, the third dose could have a significant impact, and is worth exploring further.

In the meantime, there are two things people can do to protect themselves: make sure your vaccinations are up to date, and, as always, make sure you regularly, properly wash your hands.