Traveling somewhere with measles outbreak :(

[WantsALittle1]

Little man isn't due for his MMR until Jan of next year (12 mo) but we are traveling somewhere in May that is having the worst measles outbreak in the state in over three decades.

I'm so worried about little man catching it on the plane or at the airport! I do breast feed but measles antibodies only exist in infants for the first 1-2 months and little man will be 3.5 months old. I know he is too young for the shot, and I feel so powerless to protect him.

Can anyone put my mind at ease--is he likely to catch it just from being on a plane if someone happens to have it? Or would he have to be mouthing toys, etc. to get it?

 

[MindUtopia]

Measles is a respiratory disease, so in order to catch it, you have to be coughed or sneezed on or touch surfaces (then put your hands in your mouth). At that age, he won't be mobile and won't be touching random things the way an older baby would. I'd just avoid being around anyone you know has a cough or flu-like symptoms and make sure that you and your partner practice really good hygiene, washing your hands often with hot water and soap.

That said, even in an outbreak, measles is a pretty rare illness. He's much less likely to get it than to get the flu (and it should be reassuring that he hasn't gotten that yet!). The likelihood of coming in contact with someone who has measles, even in an area where there are more cases than usual, is pretty low. It is highly infectious, so it's worth being smart about where you take him (i.e. not to hospital to visit relatives) and to avoid anyone who is showing signs of being sick with anything respiratory, but at the same time, I wouldn't panic either. Remember that there are babies his age who live in that area who go about their daily lives every day with no problems, so a short visit is unlikely to mean your LO will get sick either.