Epidemiology - Measles (Rubeola)

DESCRIPTION

CONTRACTION & HOW IT SPREADS

HOW INFECTIOUS IS IT?

DIAGNOSIS

DISEASE DIAGNOSIS

A doctor may diagnosis Measles based on the disease's characteristic rash as well as a small, bluish white-spot on a bright red background - Koplik's spot - on the inner lining of the cheek.

However, many doctors have not actually seen measles, so the rash can be confused with a number of other illnesses.

If necessary, a blood test can confirm whether the rash is truly measles. The measles virus can also be confirmed with a test that generally uses a throat swab or urine sample.

TREATMENT

Many reputable sources (i.e. healthline, clevelandclinic, CDC, mayoclinic, etc) state that there is currently not a designated treatment for Measles.

However, some measures can be taken to protect vulnerable individuals who have been exposed to the virus.

DISEASE TREATMENT

DISEASE

PREVENTION

CONTROL METHODS

DESIGN OF STRATEGIES

Proper laboratory testing should be applicable for unaccompanied children for effective results

Unaccompanied children should receive access to the MMR vaccine, but not forced to take against their own will

1st STRATEGY

3rd STRATEGY

The Measles Virus

2nd STRATEGY

4th

STRATEGY

An example of what the comfort kit could look like

Upon arrival, unaccompanied children should be handed "comfort kits" to minimize emotional distress

Quarantine the unaccompanied children for approximately 21 days (3 weeks)

SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THE STRATEGIES

1. Quarantine the unaccompanied children in a hotel or allow them to stay in vacant homes, as there are 16 million homes in the U.S. that are vacant, according to the U.S. Census

• The quarantine period should last for at least 21 days (approximately 3 weeks). Although, the incubation period of this virus is usually 10-14 days, it can sometimes take longer from the time someone is exposed to measles until the time they get sick from it
• Their living conditions should fulfill their daily needs and more - access to a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, entertainment
• While in this quarantine environment, food should be supplied to the unaccompanied children, to aid the importance of staying healthy and having a balanced diet
• Foods such as: milk, eggs, cheese, fortified breakfast cereals, leafy green vegetables, orange vegetables, and fish are all examples of the best sources of Vitamin A - though vitamins should NOT be used to prevent measles, it is important to stay somewhat healthy, especially during quarantine

2. Supply the unaccompanied children with access to the MMR vaccine: the vaccine against Measles

• Upon arrival, unaccompanied children should be greeted with access to the MMR vaccine, not forced. In case of language barriers, there should be specialists and professionals available to be able to translate and communicate with the unaccompanied children effectively and educate them on why receiving the vaccine is one of the only preventions against measles - languages such as Spanish should be taken into consideration.

3. Comfort kits handed to the unaccompanied children at arrival

• Though comfort kits would not cease the spread of the measles virus, it does allow for a sense of comfort and the formation of a relationship between the unaccompanied children and professionals working within the scope of health
• The comfort kits should include items such as: warm blankets, hygiene supplies, books, and backpacks with school materials to help these children fee safe and calm their emotional distress
• By limiting their emotional distress, actions such as vaccinations, laboratory testing should be easier to accomplish

4. Proper laboratory testing for the unaccompanied children

• The results of the laboratory testing for the unaccompanied children will determine who needs to especially undergo quarantine, though quarantine is available for all
• Proper laboratory testing implies that there should be a space in a near hospital to conduct tests, instead of the testing done today in detention centers
• Laboratory testing should take 5-10 minutes for each child

OVERCROWDING CAN CAUSE DISEASE?

Summarizing the CNN Article - "‘Crowding diseases’ threaten migrant children held in US border protection facilities, expert says"

• Widespread hygiene problems are being discovered at several US Customs and Border Protection facilities --> proses a series of health risks
• In May, 2019 --> 133,000 immigrants + more than 11,000 unaccompanied children were arrested for crossing the border illegally
• A team of doctors, lawyers, and advocates warned that "overcrowding...could lead to a health crisis"
• Conditions at the Ursula Processing Center in McAllen --> "virtually everyone we saw was will" "unaccompanied minors being held at a Border Patrol Station in Clint had colds and were sick and also did not have access to soap to wash their hands.”
• Children who do not wash regularly are likely to pick up body lice and “some of those lice could carry typhus
• Typhus can become life-threatening but is treatable with antibiotics
• Germs could travel from migrants to the U.S. community (*)

Reflection towards the CNN Article

• I believe that the CNN Article poses a serious question and even a sense of curiosity regarding the health of not just the U.S. and its citizens, but also unaccompanied children. Though the influx of unaccompanied children, whether through documentation or without documentation, may spread disease, I do not believe it is the influx that is spreading the disease, but rather the inhumane conditions that unaccompanied children, immigrants, refugees reside in. The detention centers that are already cramped enough are supposed to fit the many individuals attempting to better their lives, which is impossible given the appearance of their living situation - even when it comes to sleeping, the "beds" are practically touching each other closely without needed, necessary space. I think that if the conditions were improved and if unaccompanied children, immigrants, refugees, etc were actually treated just as equally as U.S. citizens, then we wouldn't be seeing such disease or sickness within the population of migrant children. Even within the CNN article, it states that unaccompanied minors had colds and were sick frequently due to not having access to soap to wash their hands, if given access to something so basic yet necessary as soap, imagine how the cases of sickness within migrant children could decrease.