Ways to keep infants safe during measles outbreak

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The death of an infant from measles in southern Wisconsin is putting a spotlight on how vulnerable babies are to that disease.

Doctors say their immune systems are still developing, and many are too young to get their first measles shot.

The CDC says measles can cause serious complications in young children, like pneumonia and swelling of the brain.

However, during an outbreak, health officials may recommend an early dose for babies as young as six months.

So, you may be wondering, what can I do to keep my baby safe?

“Getting everybody vaccinated who’s around them, keeping sick people away,” Dr. Jim Conway, medical director of the UW Health Immunization Program and an infectious disease physician with UW Health Kids. “If they absolutely have to be around them, making sure they’re wearing masks, washing their hands. Those are the things we owe to the babies to keep them protected.”

Dr. Conway says even healthy babies can become seriously ill, which is why those precautions matter so much.

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