- Measles is a very contagious disease and spreads very quickly.
- Small drops in vaccination can cause large outbreaks in communities.
- California has seen more measles cases in recent years.
- Researchers asked many people in emergency departments about measles.
- Many patients did not know their vaccine status.
- Some patients said they had not received the vaccine.
- Others worried about vaccine safety or if it was needed.
- Emergency departments can give information and refer patients to clinics.
Difficult words
- contagious — can spread from person to person
- vaccination — a shot to protect people from disease
- outbreak — a sudden large number of disease casesoutbreaks
- researcher — a person who studies science or dataResearchers
- emergency department — a hospital area for urgent medical helpemergency departments
- refer — send someone to another place for service
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you had the measles vaccine?
- Do you know your vaccine status?
- Would you ask for information in an emergency department?
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